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CORfRIGHT DEPO^ 



A HISTORY 

OF THE 

17th AERO SQUADRON 




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Copyright, iq20, by 
Frederick Mortimer Clapp 

^11 rights reserved, including that of 
translation into foreign languages, 
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CONQUERORS 

Tribute ? But zvhat tribute to them can there be^ 

Now it is finished^ now they are finished ^ and we 

Have only now mere thoughts that stumble through mere words to give 

While, having had like us their lives to live. 

They, in their self-effacing enterprise. 

Over Flanders and its chill seas mist-hung. 

Or over France, through hostile wind-swept skies — 

They sought the fateful bullet made for them, 

Their bullet destined how no man can tell 

And seeking it, fearless, found it and so fell 

Dead, but not conquered, out of the fight not won 

Yet, and yet less bitter for their skill. 

For their undying daring, less hard to win; 

And so they measured finally their fears 

And all the mortal dangers of their days 

And made their high fate clean of all decays. 

Supreme as was their readiness 

And as their victory over self supreme. 

Tribute of words ? How poor to them would seem 

Words, even words of deepest understanding 

And how distasteful to them any tears ! 

Still, lest in reading after futile years 

These pages along which their going has sown 

The only glory this our tale can have — 

Lest we should say, vanquished by life all unaware. 

Trapped in mere living s pitfalls 

Or basely by our very days undone. 

Theirs was the only way and theirs the only peace. . . . 



CONQUERORS 

Not then for their sake, but for our owrij 
Here are their names and dates. 
Set like a gateway over the days and ways 
In which they left us, passing on to where 
No chance dark finger of a meaner hour 
Can lay its sully on their memory now. 

A gateway of their names — what tribute can there be 

To them who gave Life life to make it free 

Other than this or worthier or more proud ? 

Save this alone perhaps, if fate allow. 

That, for their sake and for our own sake, we 

Forget not, as their clear eyes saw, to see 

Steadfastly their victory victoriously 

In ways that they would not condemn. 

What more ? What more could be ? 

There is no other tribute we can pay to them ! 



VI 



Jflping ©itittvs HtUcb in Action 


1st Lieut. George P. Glenn 


July 20, 1918 


1st Lieut. Murray K. Spidle 


August 4, 1918 


1st Lieut. Ralph D. Gracie 


August 12, 1918 


1st Lieut. Lyman E. Case 


August 14, 1918 


2nd Lieut. William H. Shearman 


August 14, 1918 


1st Lieut. Merton L. Campbell 


August 23, 1918 


1st Lieut. Lloyd A. Hamilton 


August 24, 1918 


1st Lieut. Lawrence Roberts 


August 26, 1918 


2nd Lieut. Howard P. Bittinger 


August 26, 1918 


2nd Lieut. Harry H. Jackson, Jr. 


August 26, 1918 


2nd Lieut. Gerald P. Thomas 


September 22, 1918 


1st Lieut. Harold G. Shoemaker 


October 6, 1918 


1st Lieut. Glenn D. Wicks 


October 6, 1918 



Vll 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Conquerors v 

Officers of 17TH Aero Squadron Killed in Action . . vii 

CHAPTER 

I. Organization and Training 3 

II. The Dunkirk Front 15 

III. The British Drive for Cambrai : Auxi-le-Chateau 37 

IV. The British Break the Cambrai Front: Sombrin 45 

V. Combat Reports 55 

VI. Reports of Low Bombing and Machine Gun 

Attacks 97 

VII. Statistics 147 

Appendix. Casualties and Changes: Roster of En- 
listed Men 155 



IX 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
Our First Hun Frontispiece 

OPPOSITE 
PAGE 

Fourth OF July, 1918 15^ 

A Foul Tips Robert Lorraine 

Grand Stand Seats ON THE Dug-out OF Petite Synthe . ig/ 

Taking Care of Their Big Brothers 25 '■^' 



An Attack on Varssenaere Aerodrome, August 13, 1918 31 



Hamilton Gets a Balloon 37 » 

Taking Off in Formation, Auxi-le-Chateau .... 42^^ 

That Musical Mess AT Sambrin 45 

Running Down A German Staff Car 49'/ 

Good-bye to the British Front .53 



XI 



A HISTORY 

OF THE 

17th AERO SQUADRON 



CHAPTER I 
Organization and Training^ 

THE 17th Aero Squadron came into being at the beginning 
of what is now known as the Air Service, on May 13, 1917, 
a month after war was formally declared by the United 
States. At that time it was called Company "M," later Com- 
pany "B." Still later it became the 29th Provisional Aero 
Squadron, Aviation Section, Signal Corps, and then the 17th. 
Its entire enlisted personnel were volunteers, and a majority of 
them had "come in" believing — the idea was sown broadcast 
by recruiting sergeants in various parts of the country — that 
they were to be eventually, not mechanics, but flying officers. 

They came from thirty-five states of the Union, from Porto 
Rico, Canada, and Mexico, and they were among the first to ar- 
rive at Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas — an aerodrome which 
was, at that moment, rather a project than a reality. 

The squadron's experience at Kelly Field was, in many re- 
spects, an augury of its future for, from that time on, it was al- 
ways to be the first to try, or have "tried upon it," the experiments 
to which a new service inevitably gives rise. It was the first 
squadron sent to Canada to be trained by the British; the first 
squadron to go back to the fields near Fort Worth that were to 
be administered by British and American officers working to- 
gether; the first completely trained squadron to be sent Over- 
seas with its complete quota of pilots; the first squadron to be 
attached to British squadrons at the Front (and therefore the 
first in the battle line); and the first squadron to be equipped by 
the British and brigaded with them, in active service, under their 
command. 

*The material contained in this chapter is due to the kindness of Lieut. David T. Wells, 
from whose first sketch of it the general sequence of the narrative and some of the word- 
ing have been retained. 

3 



HISTORY OF 17th SQUADRON 

Having been the first to carry out these experiments, as well 
as others on which no stress need now be laid, it suffered all the 
handicaps which the objects of experiment commonly suffer. And 
the fact that the 17th Squadron finally proved itself so efficient 
and retained, to such a degree, its esprit de corps, when at last 
it began to take part, as a unit, in operations at the Front, 
speaks volumes for the character of those first volunteers. It 
speaks volumes too for their cheerful loyalty that, without rancor 
or bitterness, they "carried on" — false as had been the ideas 
given them of what their duties were to be — when in France their 
friends, who enlisted later than they, turned up as pilots while 
they remained mechanics. 

The credit for the record of a scout squadron naturally goes to 
the flying officers who have taken the risks and done the fighting, 
but no small part of it should go to the enlisted men, who have 
to be untiringly on the look-out for loose wires and hidden broken 
parts; who, in busy times, work all night long to have machines 
ready for a patrol at dawn; and who at best can have only the 
satisfaction that comes from making possible the deeds of other 
men. What pilots and enlisted men, working together in a spirit 
of conscious self-sacrifice, can do in spite of repeated discourage- 
ment, is made evident by this letter from Lieut. Gen. J. M. Sal- 
mond, G.O.C., R.A.F., to Gen. M. M. Patrick, Chief of the Air 
Service: 

Dear General Patrick: 

Now that the time has come when Nos. 17 and 148 Squadrons 
return to you, I wish to say how magnificently they have carried 
out their duties during the time they have been lent to the British 
Aviation. 

Every call has been answered by them to the highest degree, and when 
they have arrived with you, you will have two highly efficient squadrons 
filled with the offensive spirit. 

I should like to recommend, if you agree, that they be fitted with 
S. E. 5 machines. Their formation flying is good and I consider this 
type of machine would suit them. 

Yours sincerely, 

(Sgd.) J. M. Salmond. 



ORGANIZATION AND TRAINING 

The results of the unconquerable determination to do their best 
that called forth General Salmond's letter are shown with still 
greater force by the following facts, which give, in two words so to 
speak, the record of the 17th Squadron as a fighting unit for the 
period July 15 — October 28. During fifty-one days on which we 
sent out offensive patrols over the lines, we destroyed and had 
confirmed fifty-four enemy machines and balloons and drove 
down out of control ten more, or in all a total of sixty-four. In 
other words, we destroyed or drove down 1.25I enemy aircraft 
for every fighting day of our active operations. For the same 
period we dropped from low altitudes, on hostile transport and 
infantry, 1,164 bombs and fired into them 31,806 rounds.^ 

To get, however, an adequate idea of the squadron's career as a 
whole, we must go back briefly over its history before it became a 
force with which the Hun had so considerably to reckon. 

Its hfe began, as we have said, at Kelly Field. There its work 
consisted chiefly of drills and fatigues. The men surveyed and 
built the first sewerage and water system, and the first barracks 
and hangars of the camp. On August 2, 1917, with the third com- 
manding officer assigned to it within three months, Lieut. Robert 
Oldys, the squadron moved to Toronto, Canada. In July a re- 
ciprocal agreement had been made by the British and American 
governments under the terms of which the British were to organ- 
ize and train, at the Royal Flying Corps' camps in and about 
Toronto, the pilots and mechanics of ten squadrons for Overseas 
service. A certain number of American cadets were already in 
training at these camps. The 17th Squadron was the first group 
of enlisted men to arrive in fulfilment of the terms of the agree- 
ment with regard to personnel. 

On its arrival, on August 4th, it was sent to Recruits' Depot, 
at Leaside. There the men were given three weeks' British drill 
and discipline. They ''formed fours" and they "stood at ease." 
Then they were split up into detachments and sent on to various 
other camps for training in rigging and fitting and all the trades 
involved in the repair and upkeep of aeroplanes. The gunners 

'For full statistical record of the 17th Squadron, as a fighting unit, see Chapter VII, 
parts I, II and III. 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

and wireless operators, for example, went to the school of Military 
Aeronautics, at Toronto University; six men went to the Motor 
Transport Depot, Toronto, of which they afterwards had charge; 
seventy-five men went to the Royal Flying Corps Aeroplane Re- 
pair Park; six others, to the flying field at Desoronto; and ninety- 
nine men were left at Leaside. The C. O. and Headquarter's staff 
moved to Camp Borden, one hundred miles away, to take charge 
of other Americans who, in the meantime, had arrived there. 

It is hard to hold an organization together under such circum- 
stances; but the men were apparently eager to learn, for the wire- 
less operators and gunners soon became instructors of cadets, 
while thirteen of the N. C. O.'s who had remained at Leaside 
were put in charge of Recruits' Depot when the N, C. O.'s of the 
Royal Flying Corps detachment there were given leave. 

But if it is difficult to keep an organization alive when its per- 
sonnel has been broken up into scattered groups, it is still more 
difficult to work up an esprit de corps under conditions such as 
these. The men were really civilians in uniform, and not too well 
disciplined either. When the squadron reassembled at Leaside 
before proceeding to Texas, it was given the task of washing the 
station mascots — "Bruno," a large woolly dog, and a goat named 
" Billy." The result was that ** Bruno " turned up the next morning 
with a perfectly clean shave, while "Billy" ambled out into the 
world with a large "U. S." painted on his side, and with a long 
streamer tied to his tail bearing the legend : *' 17th Aero Squadron." 
He was also noticeably the worse for drink, and when in the rain 
the men marched off" to the train, "Billy" had such a headache 
that he was only too glad to see them go. The squadron left 
Toronto on October 12th, under the command of Major Geoff"rey 
H. Bonnell, and proceeded to Fort Worth, Texas. An advance 
party of twenty men had left for the same destination on Septem- 
ber 24th. 

The general direction of training in Canada and at the new fields 
near Fort Worth was in the hands of Brig. General Hoare, R. F. C. 
The officers who commanded the American troops stationed in 
and about Toronto had been, first Major Shepler A. Fitzgerald, 
then Capt. (afterwards Lieut. Col.) David L. Roscoe. 

6 



ORGANIZATION AND TRAINING 

Major Bonnell was an American who had been a flight com- 
mander in the R. F. C. and afterwards C. O. of the 79th Canadian 
Training Squadron. His staff in the 17th was made up of the 
following ground officers: Lieut. H. McC. Bangs, adjutant; 
Lieut. David T. Wells, supply officer; 2nd Lieut. Howard B. 
Hull, gunnery officer; and 2nd Lieut. Ellsworth C. Goldsworthy, 
R. F. C., liaison officer. Eight cadets who had finished their 
training were attached to the squadron and proceeded with it to 
Texas: Walter A. Jones, Ralph D, Gracie, Orville A. Ralston, 
Charles W. France, Ralph W. Snoke, Oliver P. Johnson, Harold 
G. Shoemaker, Jesse O. Creech. 

Of the latter, all but one finally received their commissions and 
came Overseas with the squadron. Jones was killed in the first 
fatal flying accident that occurred after our arrival in Texas. 

Our destination was Hicks, a small station near Fort Worth, 
which was afterwards called Taliaferro Field, No. i. The aero- 
drome there was in a deplorably unfinished state. Barracks for 
the men and hangars there were, near enough completion to be 
serviceable, but the officers lived in tents from which they had 
to chase an occasional tarantula. There were no telephones and 
practically no transport. The aeroplanes destined for our use 
were still in their long wooden boxes, and stores were only just 
beginning to arrive. 

We began work however in earnest and at once. Flights 
were formed as completely as the officers' imperfect knowledge 
of their men's capacity permitted. Sgts. Hayes R. Miller, 
John B, Douglass, Lomas Gipner, and Cameron A. Smith were 
put in charge of them and Edward C. Bauer was made first ser- 
geant. On the second day after our arrival the first machine 
was in the air. Within a week all machines assigned to us had 
been unpacked, erected, and were flying. Cadets W. A. Jones, 
R. D. Gracie, and O. P. Johnson were made flight commanders. 
They worked hard and well. They showed undeniable ability 
and, for months before they received their commissions, they did 
in a creditable manner the work of officers. New cadets, who 
came to the field to finish their training, were taught further de- 
tails of the art of flying by cadets who had already really learned 

7 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

to fly. We messed where and how we could, and the cadets get 
a certain amusement of their own by having such a series of 
forced landings, in the neighborhood of a girls' school not many 
miles away, that all engine trouble came to be looked upon with 
suspicion. But our earnestness was undeniable and, for the most 
part, officers, cadets, and men were full of a happy adventurous 
spirit inspired by the oft-repeated promise that the 17th was to 
be the first American pursuit squadron to reach the Front. 

By November ist, thirty cadets had completed their training; 
most of them had also received their commissions; the enhsted 
personnel had become a fairly smooth-running organization; and 
the squadron's equipment for Overseas service was as complete 
as it could be made without supply tables. For the period of our 
training at Hicks we held the flying record for the field — sixty- 
three hours a day on seven machines serviceable. Just before 
we were due to entrain for the port of embarkation. Major Bonnell, 
who had also been in temporary command of the Post, was re- 
lieved from duty with the squadron, by Major Martin F. Scanlon 
— our sixth commanding officer in ten months. Lieutenant Hull 
was also relieved at the same time, as gunnery officer, by Lieut. 
Arthur B. Lapsley. 

When the squadron arrived at Garden City (December 23), it 
found New York in the grip of a coal famine and the longest cold 
snap the city had known for years. Sailing was held up for 
nearly a fortnight, and during the interval commissions arrived 
for those cadets who had not yet received them. The passenger 
list had, however, already been made up and, on board the trans- 
port, these the latest of our officers had to put up with accommo- 
dations meant for sergeants. 

We sailed finally on January 9th on the Carmania — one of a 
convoy of fourteen ships. Everything went according to sched- 
ule and we arrived in Liverpool on January 25th. The voyage 
was a normal war-time crossing — no very rough, no very pleasant 
weather, many rumors, but no submarines. From Liverpool 
we went to the American "Rest Camp" at Romsey, and there, 
so far as discomfort went, we got our first taste of what war is. 
It was really more than a taste. Not many weeks later the 



ORGANIZATION AND TRAINING 

squadron took part in the British retreat of March and April 
and, as a fighting unit, the men were with the British during their 
advance of September and October; but in all their incessant 
moving back and forth through the mud and confusion of twice 
and thrice fought-over territory, never were they so uncomfortable 
as at this "Rest Camp." 

And they had other new reasons for being disheartened, if any- 
thing could have disheartened them. They had been told, as we 
have said, that the 17th was to be the first pursuit squadron Over- 
seas; they were well trained and organized; they were eager to do 
their part in the struggle; and yet it was now proposed to spHt 
the squadron up again — for reasons no one could fathom — and 
scatter the men among the Royal Flying Corps training camps in 
England. In the end, however, that blow too was averted, and 
the squadron was sent to the Front to learn how to rig S. E. 5's 
and take care of Hispano-Suiza engines. For this purpose it was 
arranged that each flight, under the command of a ground officer, 
should be attached to a separate R. F. C. fighting squadron for 
duty and final training, while the C. O. and the pilots went to va- 
rious flying schools in Great Britain for instruction on war ma- 
chines. Lieutenant Bangs took Headquarters flight; Lieutenant 
Lapsley, "A" flight; Lieutenant Wells, "B" flight; Lieutenant 
James G. Bennett, a flying officer, who volunteered to help out 
in the hope of getting his higher training at the Front, took "C" 
flight. 

On February 9th the squadron sailed from Southampton for 
Havre, with a shipload of mules and horses destined for the use of a 
Jewish regiment on its way to Palestine. A Donegal Irishman, 
one of the "Old Contemptibles," with two wound stripes and two 
decorations, had charge of this strange consignment, and the 
amusement he displayed at the nature of his command was quite 
unbounded. 

At Havre Captain Stradling, D. A. A. G. of the British armies, 
met us when we disembarked. He had been sent down from G. 
H. Q., R. F. C, to see the flights off" to their various destinations. 
D. A. A. G., by the way, for the benefit of those who never 
learned or have now forgotten the shorthand of the war, stands 

9 



HISTORY OF TPIE 17th SQUADRON 

for Deputy Assistant Adjutant General. Headquarters flight 
was assigned to 24 Squadron, at Martigny; "A" flight to 84 
Squadron, at Guizancourt; '*B" to 60 Squadron, at Ste. Marie 
Cappell, near Hazebrouck, on the Flanders front; and *'C" to 
56 Squadron, at Baizieux. All left at once except "B" flight 
which followed the next day. 

Up to the beginning of the German "push," on March 21st, all 
of the flights had much the same experience. To put part of a 
unitjof one nationality into a squadron of another, without caus- 
ing friction, requires from both the greatest tact. In our case the 
arrangement was that instruction was to be entirely in British 
hands, but discipHne in those of the respective American officers 
in charge. 

Before long our men knew their machines and engines well 
enough to be rather a help than a hinderance to the squadrons 
to which they were attached. And they made rapid progress, 
because for the most part both officers and men realized that 
they were part of an experiment in training squadrons in the 
field, and that, upon their abiUty to get on well with the British, 
the future of this method of training in no small measure de- 
pended. How well they understood the situation is made appar- 
ent by the fact that, in nearly five months, during which they were 
attached to British squadrons, no really unpleasant incident arose 
between the two nationalities. 

The 17th Squadron, it must be remembered, was handicapped 
in many ways by its complete detachment from the American 
service. More than that, during our first months in France, the 
flights were totally out of touch with one another. Later on a 
succession of officers, chosen it seemed quite at random and 
placed in command of American Aviation Units with the British, 
came for a casual hour or two, at widely scattered intervals, to 
see how we were "getting on." This, however, was long after 
our detachments had, each with its British unit, settled down to 
serious war work. The Air Service apparently forgot that we 
existed. Supplies, particularly clothing, were unobtainable. 
The squadron was destitute of transport. 

When the German drive began all flights, with the exception 

10 



ORGANIZATION AND TRAINING 

of **B," were still on the aerodromes to which they had been sent 
originally. *'B" flight, however, had moved to Bailleul where it 
had had its baptism of shell fire, shrapnel, and bombing, through 
which it had come unscathed. A little later (March 23rd) it 
moved to Bellevue, back of Arras. The whole squadron was now 
on the front involved in the Hun attack and, from the end of 
March on, all flights took part in a succession of movements car- 
ried out in the face of the enemy advance. They helped build 
new aerodromes; they helped abandon them and build still others 
as the British army moved back. 

Since the 17th Squadron was one of the very few American units 
that saw from the inside this great cycle of movements, the 
changes of station made by its scattered flights are not without 
interest. Headquarters flight began its retreat on the first day 
of the drive (March 21st) when 24 Squadron, R. A. F., left 
Moreuil. It abandoned the aerodrome only a few hours before 
the Hun reached it, and some of our men were among those who 
remained to burn, if necessary, the hangars and quarters. Before 
their task was finished, the Hun had all but come across the other 
side of the field and they were under machine gun fire. From 
Moreuil the flight went with 24 Squadron to Bertangles; then 
from Bertangles to Conteville. At Guizancourt "A" flight had 
been under artillery fire, while with 84 Squadron, R. A. F., be- 
fore, they moved to Roye; and the last man to leave got away 
only an hour and a half before the Germans came up. From Roye 
it went to Vert-Galand Farm (March 24th) and then to Maison- 
Ponthieu (March 29th). At last the Hun was held and "A" 
flight made with 84 Squadron only one more move (April 5th) 
before the 17th was reassembled — this time to Bertangles. The 
other two flights made many similar changes of station. "B" 
flight had come down from Flanders to Bellevue with 60 Squad- 
ron just in time to stand by to move. All the British squadron's 
stores and property were divided up so that, if need arose, they 
could be destroyed in the order of their relative importance. 
Nothing, however, in spite of much foreboding, was lost in moving 
to Fienvillers (March 28th). There "B" flight remained until 
April when it went to a field not far from Rougefay (April 12th), 

II 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

which was the last camp it occupied as a detached flight with 
60 Squadron. "C" flight moved once (March 26th) from 
Baizieux to Valheureux Farm, near Candas. 

These Spring months were one of the busiest and most exciting 
times the R. A. F. had ever known and, during them, the enHsted 
men of the 17th Squadron learned much more than the mere 
care of their machines. They knew now what it meant to send out 
patrols and move incessantly from one aerodrome to another 
at the same time. And that knowledge gained in actual experi- 
ence was, if possible, even more valuable to them than the knowl- 
edge they gained of service machines and engines. Later, when 
they were operating as an American unit with the R. A. F., 
word came in the middle of the night to move in five hours, and 
they were ready before that brief interval had passed. 

On April 1st, Headquarters flight was detached from 24 Squad- 
ron and until May 20th it worked as a salvage section under the 
22nd Wing, R. A. F. In those five weeks it salvaged twenty-five 
enemy machines and fourteen British, chiefly without hghts in 
the darkness of the night, within five hundred yards of the German 
lines. 

During the latter part of those anxious months, and in the 
months of May and June, other American squadrons followed the 
trail blazed by the 17th. Other officers were placed successively 
in command of the American squadrons with the B. E. F., and 
still there appeared to be little hope that our flights would be 
reformed and put into active operations. By the end of May the 
enlisted men had been in training for eighteen months; they had 
been four months at the Front; and yet they seemed as far as ever 
from the realization of their ambition of operating as an American 
unit. They had had special training on the rigging and engines 
of English 200 h. p., French 220 h. p., and Viper Hispano-Suiza 
S. E. 5's, and now it suddenly transpired — ^who was responsible, 
we wondered, for this lack of foresight? — that England could spare 
no machines of that type. 

On May i8th Major Harold Fowler, M. C, succeeded Major 
Thomas S. Bowen and, soon after he assumed command of the 
American Air Service Units with the British Armies, it was decided 

12 



ORGANIZATION AND TRAINING 

that the 17th should be put on no h. p. Le Rhone Sopwith Camels. 
The mechanics were given a month to master their overhaul and 
upkeep — machines and engines. Headquarters and *'A" flights 
went on May 20th for that purpose to 23 Squadron and then to 
80 Squadron; **B" flight was assigned to 46 and "C" flight to 3 
Squadron, R. A. F. The men learned rapidly. On June 20th 
all four flights were sent to a field at Petite Synthe, near Dunkirk, 
to become once more a unit and resume their identity as a squad- 
ron. 

At last we, who had been ready so long — at last we were going 
to take a real part in the fighting which for nearly six months we 
had heard and seen, but into which we had not yet been able to 
put — so slowly, so feebly and heedlessly, do the wheels of adminis- 
tration often grind — had not, one might more accurately say, been 
allowed to throw our whole strength. 

Lieutenant Lapsley had, in the meantime, been relieved, on ad- 
mission to hospital, by ist Lieut. Lorenz K. Ayres as armament 
officer, and Lieutenant Bangs was replaced, as adjutant, by ist 
Lieut. Frederick Mortimer Clapp, formerly adjutant of the 22nd 
Aero Squadron. 



13 



CHAPTER II 
The Dunkirk Front 

OUR new CO., who had received his orders far South, at 
the other end of the Hne, and had flown up from Dijon 
through the rain to assume the command that he held 
through all our active operations, was ist Lieut, (now Major) 
Samuel B. Eckert, formerly CO. of the 9th Aero Squadron. Like 
all our pilots, ground ofl[icers, and enlisted personnel, he was 
British trained. He had flown at London Colney, Turnberry, 
and Ayr. At the Front he had been on S. E. 5's with 84 Squad- 
ron, R.A.F., at Bertangles, and with 80 Squadron, R.A.F., on 
Camels, at Chateau Thierry during some of the fiercest and most 
decisive fighting of the "push." 

Our senior flight commander, 1st Lieut, (now Major) Morton 
L. Newhall, or as we knew him "Mort," had flown on off'ensive 
patrol, on S.E.5's and Camels with 3 and 84 Squadrons, R.A.F. 
Shortly after we arrived at Petite Synthe, he was put in com- 
mand of the 148th Aero Squadron which, flying officers and men, 
was also British trained and was being reassembled and reorgan- 
ized (July 1st) not far from us, on the other side of the canal at 
Cappelle Aerodrome. Mort's new dignity meant a great loss 
to us. He left us taking with him the marvellous pup, his insep- 
arable "Shadow," and leaving in us a void filled happily however 
with a sense that his success was sure. And we were not mistaken. 
Rarely has a commanding officer shown himself so wise, so modest, 
and so intelligently sympathetic, rarely has he won so completely 
and kept so securely at once the deep respect and the warm ad- 
miration both of his pilots and subordinates. The 148th were 
equipped with Clerget Camels and Hke us operated with the 65th 
Wing, R.A.F. Our relations with them were always delightfully 
fraternal. We called each other up and inquired what each 
other's patrols had seen and done and what the activity on the 

15 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

liryes was like. They dined us and we dined them. We took 
counsel together, and their fine record was a matter of joy to us 
as we watched it grow. 

Lieutenant Tipton was promoted to be " B " flight commander. 
He had served with 3 Squadron, R.A.F., and had a remarkable 
knowledge of aeroplane engines. *'C" flight was commanded 
by 1st Lieut. Lloyd A. Hamilton whose record while flying with 
3 Squadron, R.A.F., was four and a quarter enemy aeroplanes 
and balloons destroyed, ist Lieut. Weston W. Goodnow was 
given command of "A" flight. He had acquired his background 
of experience at the Front with No. 203 British Squadron, as had 
Lieutenants Frost and Campbell theirs with 209 and 54 Squadrons 
respectively. Lieutenants Desson, Dixon, and Gracie had seen 
service with 209 Squadron, R.A.F., on Camels, and Lieutenant 
Williams had been with 3 Squadron, R.A.F. , although he had 
never crossed the lines. The remainder of our original pilots 
came to us from the Training Brigade through the pool from which 
all British trained pilots were drawn. That background, that 
common experience, was an immense asset. Each of our pilots 
had ideas of his own, gained in actual fighting, about the way to 
carry out off'ensive patrols. Every detail of the operation of 
a Le Rhone engine or the use of aeroplane controls in flying 
formation or fighting was made the subject of heated discus- 
sions in which many ideas — based upon the long, thorough, 
and often painful experience of the British — came to light and 
became part and parcel of our general knowledge of organization 
and tactics. 

Nor was that all. We profited even more directly by many 
details of British system. Was it not laid down, for example, 
in their regulations that no pilot was to cross the lines until 
he had been three weeks in France and, in addition to show- 
ing marked proficiency in flying and manoeuvring, had flown 
a certain number of hours on fine patrol and had fired successfully 
a certain number of rounds from the air at a fixed target.'' The 
British never sent a pilot straight into the fray, raw from training 
fields. That mere detail of administration and foresight saved 
them and us many lives and prevented disasters from happening, 

16 



THE DUNKIRK FRONT 

at the very beginning of the squadron's career, that would have 
permanently lamed its offensive spirit. 

Major Harold Fowler, who was in a way our American Wing 
Commander, was also British trained. His past experience with 
the Royal Flying Corps included many kinds of machines, from 
artillery observation two-seaters to Camels, and he had fought 
and flown, from the outbreak of the war, not only in France but 
in East Africa. He therefore understood better than many 
Americans the possibilities and the difficulties of British organ- 
ization; he saw, as no one before him had in the slightest degree 
tried to see, the necessity of seconding us in the desire we enter- 
tained of making our relations with the British happy and friendly. 
He had his own particular Camel which, with that of Col. J. A. 
Cunningham, D. F. C. (O. C. 65th Wing, R.A.F.), was kept in 
our hangars and, from the beginning of our activity, he was a not 
infrequent visitor at Petite Synthe. After we moved to Auxi- 
le-Chateau, he moved his Armstrong hut and had it set up in our 
woods, and when he was not visiting the 148th, or G.H.Q., R.A.F., 
or his own headquarters at Montreuil-sur-Mer, he ate and lodged 
with us. 

After all our "busses" had been collected from Marquise and 
properly tuned up, after we had made numerous practice forma- 
tion flights, and had fired, early and late, at the aeroplane target, 
in the marsh, by the dunes of St. Pol-sur-Mer, till there was noth- 
ing left of it but shreds, we were ready for line patrols of which 
we did, before going into active offensive work, 188 hours, sending 
out in all 114 machines. It was on starting out upon these that 
we received our official secret insignia, a white dumb-bell painted 
on each side of the fuselage aft of the cockpit. The 148th fought 
under the sign of the "White Triangle." Later, in contemplation 
of our return to the American Armies, we adopted and had con- 
firmed as our own symbol, "The Great Snow Owl," of which Sgt. 
Hayden C. Kellum made a forceful sketch. But it was with the 
"Dumb-Bell" on our sides that we fought all our battles, and the 
other more decorative emblem can never quite replace it or have 
for us the same fulness of significance. 

The field at Petite Synthe, near Dunkirk, lies in a rough triangle 

17 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

between the main railway hne from Dunkirk to Calais, the by- 
road running from Petite Synthe to Pont de Petite Synthe on the 
Bourbourg Canal, and the sidings of the railway on which hospital 
trains belonging to the French Medical Corps were drawn up 
waiting for sudden calls from this or that part of the Front. The 
by-road crosses the field on its southwestern side. This was one 
of the oldest aerodromes in French Flanders and belonged, in the 
beginning, to the Royal Naval Air Service. It had been the home 
of some great British Squadrons of the 5th Wing, R.N.A.S.: 
among them, the 2nd, 5th, 6th, nth, afterwards the 202nd, 205th, 
206th, and 2llth, Royal Air Force, as well as the 49th R.F.C., 
the 87th, R.A.F., and the 85th R.A.F., which the great Canadian 
scout pilot. Major Bishop, commanded. 

The land round about is flat and often, in the morning and eve- 
ning, full of ground mist. The weather too is full of the change- 
ableness of a sea-coast country. Beautiful long lines of poplars 
border the by-road and the Route Nationale to Calais. From the 
air the country looks like an immense irregular patchwork of light 
and dark green, interspersed with the gray and brown of well- 
tilled fields, from which stand out the spire of St. Eloi at Dunkirk, 
not far from the city's network of docks and shipbuilding yards, 
and, to the East, the many-moated, star-shaped and battered 
Nieuport, on the Yser Canal. 

The squadrons that occupied the field — there were almost al- 
ways three of them — were housed in wooden huts, arranged inside 
for the hammocks of the *' ratings " of the Royal Naval Air Service. 
Outside they were banked with revetments of sandbags and each 
squadron had its own dugout which, in the case of the old 202nd, 
afterward Major Bishop's and then ours, was a vast structure 
like an oblong, broken-down step pyramid, in the making of 
which nearly thirty thousand sandbags had been used. You 
needed dugouts in that region, for the Hun came over, and often 
in force, every clear night. You watched the sky in the evening 
and, if a star came out as it grew dark, you were sure to hear 
someone remark: "Well, I guess old Jerry will be over to-night." 
The strictest rules were enforced with regard to lights and when 
the siren at Dunkirk, familiarly called "Mournful," bellowed, to 

18 




Grand stand seats on the dug-out oj Petit Synihe 



THE DUNKIRK FRONT 

be answered shrilly by Coudekerque and St. Pol-sur-Mer, the 
dynamo in the workshop lorry came to a dead stop. The Hun 
sailed over black spaces. There was not a gleam or glimmer in 
the plains. But around his droning Gothas, the pulsation of 
which you came quickly enough to distinguish from the hum of 
Handley Pages, F.E.'s or night-scouting Camels, the black of 
the sky was full of innumerable winking stars of "Archy" and 
the rumble of the barrage. The Hun only "got something" near 
us twice at Dunkirk — once when he put a bomb on the aerodrome 
side of the hospital trains and blew all their glass out, and once, 
the night we arrived, when he dropped a large one on the French 
Cavalry shack behind our Mess, leaving a deep hole in the mud 
and much match-wood. The chief effect of this attack upon the 
squadron was to make some of us bolt out of our quarters in 
pyjamas. 

Most of the men seemed to like bomb raids, although some of 
them felt happier when they were standing around, joking about 
"Jerry," within diving distance of the mouth of the dugout. 
They looked upon raids as a spectacle not to be missed. The per- 
sonnel of the French hospital trains were less devoted to fireworks 
for their own sake. They had perhaps had too much of them in 
four long years. At all events, on clear nights — and there were 
many during the first part of our stay in those much-bombed re- 
gions — you would find the whole French force of the neigh- 
borhood packed in the inner stifling darkness of the dugout, into 
which the roar of anti-aircraft fire and the crashing "zong" of 
bombs came muted, while the whole American force conspic- 
uously displayed itself on the roof, using it as if it were the grand- 
stand at Paine's Pyrotechnics. 

In a shack on the by-road, near the ditch where fat rats lived, 
we set up our Officers' Mess. We believed in making it as com- 
fortable as possible; and anyone surprising us between patrols 
in those first weeks would have seen pilots and commanding 
officer standing on trestle-tables or piled gasoline boxes, painting 
the ceiling of the shack white and the little beams a pale green, or 
busily laying old canvas on the rough floor. They did not despise 
comfort and some touch of beauty. They came in from fighting 

19 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

the Hun to roll the tennis court — an operation that consisted in 
dragging an old cement beam behind a Fiat truck round and 
round in the mud in front of the Mess. Todd and Case and Des- 
son, and sometimes even three or four others, managed to squat 
or stand tottering on the twisting beam to give it greater weight, 
while "Army," as Armstrong was familiarly called, "chaufFed" 
the truck. 

There were hurried trips to Calais for added luxuries. All the 
light-green iron garden chairs the Nouvelles Gaieties of that 
place possessed were bought and brought home. Wicker chairs 
and cushions were bought too. Gravures galantes — but not too 
"galantes" — as well as perfectly proper prints in colour of "Les 
Noces Alsaciennes" were tacked on the wall. A piano was hired, 
and a gramophone, with a couple of dozen records chiefly of semi- 
classical music, such as "Asa's Death" by Grieg or the "Song of 
the Boatmen on the Volga," was squeezed out of the Red Cross. 
We also designed and had executed by Day, the sailmaker, drop- 
lights, the stand of which was made of an empty soixante-quinze 
shell-case, well poHshed, and the shade of a yellow silk edged with 
beads and surmounted by a shining nose-piece. 

There were unwritten rules of the Mess. One had to be more 
or less dressed for dinner; one had to come up to the CO. and 
formally apologize if one were late; one did not begin one's soup 
until he did; one did not hght a cigar or cigarette until he had 
lighted his. We never wore Sam Browne belts at dinner, but 
the Officer of the Day wore his belt at all times. No excuse was 
valid for breaking any of these rules, or by speech or act disturb- 
ing the decorum of the Mess. Not that we were quiet or gloomy. 
Far from it! We soothed our digestion with laughter and endless 
poking of fun at one another. And nothing brought forth such 
peals of merriment as the infraction, through thoughtlessness, of 
any of our rules. The offender bought drinks or cigars or both 
all around, depending upon the gravity of his crime, to shouts of 
"Randolph, Randolph, take an order!" 

Those were also the days when the Pilots' Room was worked 
out in the C.O.'s canvas hut, various partitions of which were 
occupied by the "Staff." Maps were feverishly pasted together 

20 



THE DUNKIRK FRONT 

by the force of the Squadron Office until they covered the walls; 
the "line" was drawn in blue pencil upon them with anxious 
attention to accuracy; data technical and confidential about 
operations and flying, that flowed in copiously from 65th Wing 
Headquarters, were made accessible. There the CO. and the 
pilots met to discuss ''shows." There the Colonel, the Wino- 
Adjutant, the Wing Equipment Officer, the Wing Armament Offi- 
cer, and the dignitaries of the Brigade were received. They came 
frequently and without formality, easy and charming and deeply 
interested in our progress. We had only to ask to receive, within 
reason. They did everything in their power to help and enlighten, 
putting their experience freely at our disposal. 

The air was always full of the roar of engines on a fair day, 
and even on days when mists hung about the plains or clouds 
rolled up from the south and west, there was a roar at least from the 
test bench. We watched the big bombing formations of the 21 ith 
take off" in front of the hangars — twelve, fourteen, even sixteen 
D.H.q's getting away, one after the other, and disappearing into 
the haze toward Calais to get their height. When we escorted 
them on their long trip to Bruges Docks, which they bombed twice 
a day regularly for weeks, we had a sense of personal interest in 
their going; for were not our orders to meet them at 15,000 feet 
over Dunkirk at a given moment.'' -We kept a weather eye on our 
squadron clock and thirty-five minutes after the last D.H.9 
had thundered away, we "got off" taking great pride in leaving 
the ground in formation, one flight after another, and returning 
"wing tip to wing tip" in one solid buzz. 

We set up an engine shop, carpenter's shop, tinsmith's shop, 
sailmaker's shop, Q.M. and technical stores, armory and can- 
teen, mostly out of dilapidated huts or old aeroplane boxes and 
bits of salvaged canvas. We strung telephone and electric light 
wires; we filled in roads; we found pieces of burlap with which to 
blind the windows against the night-flying Hun. Headquarters 
flight with its engine repair, its supplies, its parked lorries and 
tenders, its hum of saws and drills, its hammer and bang of the 
blacksmith shop, was organized and speeded up. 

The Chinese, who worked on the revetting of the shacks and 

21 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

had long ago camouflaged the hangars with strange characters of 
their own, watched our activities with smiles and curiosity. At 
evening through the mist we saw still other companies of them 
trooping along the road to their camp by the canal, coming home 
on a train we called the "Chinks' Limited" that drew up puffing 
and full of them on a siding behind our shacks. 

It was upon the organization of the flights, shops, and stores 
that most, perhaps, depended in this formative period. Happily 
few mistakes were made. Lieutenant Wells had been so many 
months with the squadron that he knew the character and ability 
of most of the enlisted men. Sgt., afterward M.S.E. John 
B. Douglass, seconded by Sgt. Hayes R. Miller, was placed 
in charge of the technical side of aeroplanes and engine upkeep 
and overhaul. His work corresponded to that of the technical 
sergeant major in an Enghsh squadron or to the engineering officer 
of an American unit. His responsibilities were great and he 
met them unfailingly. Sgt. Clay A. Wellborn was made 
Truckmaster and had under his supervision the entire equipment 
of R. A. F. transport allotted to us, that consisted of one Crossley 
touring car, seven Leyland lorries, five Crossley tenders, two work- 
shop lorries, six trailers, two water-trailers, four motorcycle 
side-cars, eight motorcycles, as well as the five Fiat trucks with 
four trailers, a large, water-trailer, one Harley-Davidson side-car 
and one Cadillac which, before we reached Petite Synthe, had 
been put upon our charge by the Services of Supply of the Amer- 
ican Air Service. He succeeded admirably and was soon made 
First Sergeant, a berth that Sgt. Lomas Gipner had filled dur- 
ing our first weeks of reorganization. Sgt. Eldon E. Hively 
was given charge of "A" flight, Sgt. Devillo Sloan, who was later 
nominated for training as a flyer, was given charge of "B" flight, 
Sgt. C. A. Smith of "C" flight, in each case carrying on the work 
that they had begun in Texas. 

Repairs were done under pressure. But any machine seriously 
crashed was at once returned to No. 8 Aircraft Park and from the 
Depot a new machine was delivered to us immediately. It was 
a matter of hours only before we had "written off" the wreck and 
taken the new "bus" on to our strength. A "Casualty Report" 

22 



THE DUNKIRK FRONT 

went to the Wing by dispatch rider and a "signal" came back, 
for example: "Sopwith Camel D 4598 struck off strength 17th 
Aero Squadron. One Sopwith Le Rhone Camel allotted, i A.D. 
Please collect." And the CO. would say: "Todd, will you get 
this bus?" handing him the signal. We were liable to be 
"straffed" if our "Casualty Report" was even a little late. The 
same was true of transport and supplies, with almost no exception, 
from tools to sandbags, from acetone to rivets and flashlights. 
But there was no promiscuous and wholesale dumping of material 
on our charge. The British had too much use for everything a 
squadron needs. They were short — sometimes in some things 
anxiously short. You had to give chapter and verse, in proper 
form, as tersely as possible, for all your requisitions. You had 
your fortnightly allowance of each item; you had your mobiliza- 
tion tables for every "spare." But what you could show a real 
need for you got. That was where the functioning of the Supply 
Office, or Equipment Office as it was called, came in. It was ad- 
mirably run under Lieut. David T. Wells's direction by Sgt. 
Cecil N. Douglass. Had it been in doubt of its procedure or its 
rights, had it hesitated or failed to "indent" when the appointed 
moment came for routine supplies, we should have been handi- 
capped. It didn't. Rare occasions excepted it functioned with a 
smoothness that brought expressions of admiration from the 
British, who are generally slow to praise. Moments there were 
when a rebuilt engine could not be made serviceable on the ap- 
pointed day, because a special part was not obtainable — such 
as, for example, the notorious small reamers and metric gauges 
that we worried about for more than a week. Forty-eight engines 
were rebuilt in the squadron during active operations in fourteen 
weeks; eight machines were rebuilt in the same time. Wings 
and tail planes, rudders and tail skids, undercarriages and "props" 
too numerous to mention, came back on machines from offen- 
sive patrol shot through by Archy or riddled by machine gun 
bullets. They were quickly changed and the bus made service- 
able for war flying. 

In only one case was there any real delay — the famous case of 
the "R.A.F. wires, cross-bracing, centre section, upper," which 

23 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

on all the machines on our strength was shorter than the **Mob." 
tables showed or any the Park or Depot possessed. We meas- 
ured and remeasured them. They were twenty-seven and a half . 
inches from thread to thread. The Wing was incredulous. "If 
they are twenty-seven and a half inches, we will get them for you, 
but you had better be sure that all your wires are twenty-seven 
and a half inches long or there will be trouble." That was the 
Wing's last word. Once again CO. and adjutant climbed over the 
bus and again they measured the infernal wires. "Twenty- 
seven and a half," shouted the CO., delighted to have something ■ 
on the Wing. If the whole truth must be told, we had only made 
the interesting discovery which gave rise to all this excitement 
when Williams came back one day from patrol, having had a scrap 
with five Fokkers, with his "cross-bracing wires, centre section, 
upper," cut away by Hun bullets that must have passed within 
an inch of his head. Who till then had ever thought of measuring 
a centre section cross-bracing wire? The flat snipped wire was 
made into a scimitar-shaped paper knife for WilHams as a souvenir. 
We crossed the lines on offensive patrol for the first time on 
July 15, 191 8. The Front was very quiet. It was Williams 
who brought down our first enemy aeroplane not far from Ostend,^ 
with the famous Bassin de Chasse for background, on July 20th, 
at about 9:45 in the morning. Early in the afternoon the follow- 
ing message came from the Wing: 

SIGNAL MESSAGE 

From: American Mission with Belgian Army. 
To: CO. 17th Aero Squadron. 

Re: confirmation E.A. sent down by Lieutenant Williams. 2nd Sec- 
tion, 6 D. A., Belgian Army, reports one E.A. seen to go down in flames 
S.W. of Ostend, between 9:30 and 10:00 this morning. 

On the same evening congratulatory telegrams on Williams' 
exploit came from General Salmond, commanding the R.A.F. 
in the field, and from Colonel Cunningham. It was a great day 
with us and the enlisted men were quite as excited as the ofl^icers. 
It meant much that at last, after so many discouragements and 

iSee Combat Report, No. i, page 55. 

24 




Taking care of their big brothers 



THE DUNKIRK FRONT 

changes, we had achieved the beginning of our offensive career. 
WilHams was given an impromptu fete at dinner in the Mess which 
his retiring disposition took with obvious embarrassment. Ser- 
geant Kellum drew a large ink sketch of the memorable "scrap" 
from the descriptions brought in by the pilots. Ultimately it was 
framed and hung in the Mess with the legend: "Our First Hun." 

This too was the day on which we had our first casualty — 
Lieut. George P. Glenn, a son of Virginia, and a charming fellow. 
He was missing from the morning patrol and was last seen diving 
steeply south of Ostend, after having been attacked by a Fokker 
at 20,000 feet. 

We had many other memorable days at Petite Synthe. There 
was the day when Lieut. Floyd M. Showalter came down with 
engine trouble beyond the railway embankment, just south of 
Nieuport, in the floods of No Man's Land. Tipton flew low over 
him to protect him from being shot down by enemy scouts from 
above and, as he circled about him, he saw "Showie" calmly cHmb 
out of his bus and splash away west, wading toward the Belgian 
lines. Showalter told us later that he had found an underwater 
road, and after that we never ceased to "kid" him about his habit 
of wearing rubber boots when flying. 

While we were escorting 211 Squadron, R.A.F., on the way 
home "Goodie," as Lieutenant Goodnow was known among us, in 
"B," for example, would take great delight in sitting right over 
"B" of the bombing formation, Gracie in "M" over "M," and 
*A" over "A," and so on. "Taking care of their big brothers" 
they called it, and it delighted No. 211 too. One of our most treas- 
ured letters is the following from Major G. R. M. Reid, M.C., of 

that squadron: 

30th August, 1 91 8. 
To Officer Commanding No. 65 Wing, Royal Air Force. 
17th U. S. Aero Squadron: 

I would very much like to express in writing the gratitude felt both 
by myself and the flying personnel under my command for the excep- 
tionally fine escort work done by the above Squadron when escorting 
the bomb raids on Bruges Docks, carried out by this Squadron. 

We are all agreed that when No. 17 Squadron was escorting our raid 
we had nothing to fear from A.E. Although it was often imperative to fly 

25 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

out to sea and attack from East of the Target, thus making it a very long 
trip over the lines, nevertheless No. 17 U. S. Squadron always stuck to us. 
On one or two occasions a machine of ours would straggle owing to engine 
trouble, but these machines had no need to fear attacking E.A. fas some 
of the escorting machines would always look after the straggler. 

On many occasions E.A. attempted to attack our bombing machines 
over the Target but they were never successful owing to the excellence 
of the escort. 

Finally I can only say that I do not consider that any Squadron in 
France could have supplied a better escort than No. 17 U. S. Aero 
Squadron. 

(Sgd.) G. R. M. Reid, 

Major R.A.F. 
Commanding No. 211 Squadron. 

This, as it were, supplemented a letter from the British Naval 
Authorities that reads as follows: 

19th August, 191 8. 
To General Officer Commanding, Royal Air Force, B.E.F. 

1 should be glad if you would convey to Lieut.-Colonel Cunningham, 
D.F.C., the officers and men of the 65th Wing, R.A.F., an expression 
of my appreciation of the very good work done by them during the last 
month whilst cooperating with the 5th Group. 

No. 211 Squadron has been particularly successful in their daylight 
attacks on Bruges Docks and Shipping, and 17th American Squadron 
also cooperated in the low bombing attack on Varssenaere aerodrome; 
in addition they have destroyed a lot of enemy machines. 

(Sgd.) A. Boyle, 
C. O. S. 
for Vice-Admiral. 

Major Reid's letter gave us unusual pleasure because the pilots 
of 211 Squadron, had been escorted during their career by Bristols 
and various kinds of scouts, and were famous for the criticism and 
"grousing" they had always leveled at the squadrons sent over to 
cover their bombing operations. It is an interesting fact too that, 
during the period in which we escorted them, not a machine of 
theirs was lost as a result of attack by enemy aircraft. 

For months we had been without a medical officer, when sud- 
denly by some mysterious vagary of the administration three doc- 

26 



THE DUNKIRK FRONT 

tors, each with a force of medical orderlies complete, descended 
upon us. It was an embarrassment of riches. How choose be- 
tween them? One was an elderly gentleman from the South who 
wore gold-rimmed pince-nez and was painfully and feverishly 
concerned with the minutiae of the orders that had sent him trot- 
ting back and forth over the face of France. He was a captain 
and outranked our C. O., so it was obviously inappropriate for 
him to stay. Lieut. Jacob J. Ross, M. C, or R. M. C. as he was 
then and would have preferred to remain, was assigned in his 
stead, while the third and last of the sons of iEsculapius to arrive 
was transferred to other unknown fields of activity. 

The choice was our great good fortune. Doctor Ross had seen 
much of college athletics from the inside. He had long experience 
and his enthusiasm for his job was vivifying. The sanitation of 
the camp was improved at once, although to do so was not an easy 
matter. He left no stone unturned to acquaint himself with the 
medical and surgical side of service in the field, but very especially 
he studied the ailments, diseases, and physical condition of flying 
officers. In this work the British gave him every opportunity for 
study and he was quick to realize how large a part temperament 
plays in a pilot's fitness for war work. He had a keen sense of the 
innate difference between a pilot who really didn't want to do his 
job, who was not of the stuff" of which fighters are made, and the 
pilot who, however courageous, had been nervously shaken by the 
tension of flying and fighting over the lines. 

"Old Doc," as he was aff'ectionately called, had moreover a 
hobby that venereal disease could and must be stamped out, as a 
menace not only to the men themselves but to the success of our 
cause. This deHcate subject he approached from so human an 
angle that the eff'ect of his presence and counsel became forthwith 
apparent. He was big and strong and in his face one read a great 
sincerity. His interest was universal. He managed the flying 
officers as you would a football team in training, and the enlisted 
men as you would the students of a technical school. In his free 
time on days of bad weather he tried to see as much as he could of 
service at the Front, visiting all nearby hospitals and clearing 
stations, helping the British with "sick call" and medical atten- 

27 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

tion in neighboring squadrons, or assisting at operations through 
the night when the wounded were pouring into the C.C.S. near 
Doullens, during the first days of the British push. In his una- 
bated zeal for informing experience he was so often in quest of 
transpiortation on rainy days that he became known as the first of 
the "tender-hounds." 

We celebrated the Glorious Fourth with a baseball game be- 
tween the 148th Aero Squadron and ourselves. The French doc- 
tors and officers of Train Sanitaire 2bis, as well as our English 
friends, were invited. During the struggle a foul-fly caught on 
the head and bowled over Major Robert Lorraine, who was at 
that time in command of 211 Squadron, R.A.F., and was watch- 
ing the game from the "bleachers." He bobbed up again smil- 
ing, never having lost his monocle — a feat that apparently drew 
this comment from an old French artillery officer, very smart 
in bright baggy trousers and scarlet kepi, who had been eyeing the 
play quizzically through drooping glasses: "Mais, c'est tres inter- 
essant! Qa. ressemble beaucoup a tennis, n'est-ce pas?" 

The Squadron Office was not really organized in a thorough- 
going way until we reassembled at Petite Synthe. It had then 
to carry on the voluminous paper work of a British fighting squad- 
ron, as well as the paper work required of a unit in the American 
armies. We were attached for the latter to the Second Corps, 
which had its Statistical Office at Fruges. Sgt. Hayden C. 
Kellum, and Cpls, Lamonte P. Koop and WilHam H. Reed, did 
devoted work in this branch of our activity and helped much to 
make records and operations go smoothly. 

The weather was warm and hazy on August first, the wind light 
and falling. The first patrol of nine machines left at eight in the 
morning and went down the lines east of La Bassee. There they 
encountered, at nine o'clock, three Fokker triplanes and a Fokker 
biplane. The latter Lieut. Robert M. Todd attacked at between 
14,000 and 16,000 feet and sent it crashing into a little wood near 
Provin.^ 

Thirty minutes later they came upon three Fokker biplanes 
and one Pfalz scout, between Wytschaete and Hollebeke, at 

^See Combat Report, No. 2, page 56. 

28 



THE DUNKIRK FRONT 

15,000 feet. Ten encounters took place and Lieut. William H. 
Shearman drove the Pfalz out of control, while Lieuts. M. K. 
Spidle and Ralph D. Gracie each drove down a Fokker biplane.^ 

In this fierce and wild dog-fight we never lost the upper hand for 
a single instant and, when the patrol returned and the pilots 
crowded, all excitement, into the adjutant's office, filling its warm 
sunniness with the icy chill of the upper air that still clung to their 
flying clothes, one was put to it, for a moment, to disentangle the 
tactics of the battle or its results from their furious colloquies, one 
with another, in which emphatic gestures illustrated, with fantas- 
tic vividness, side-slips, rolls, zooms, stalls, dives, loops, vertical 
banks, and all the tension and determination and lightning-quick 
reactions of imminent danger defied and overcome. 

Out of that patrol a great confidence was born. The news 
spread Hke wildfire through the camp and, although Todd alone 
could absolutely claim his Hun, we knew now that our future as 
a fighting unit was safe. The pilots went off happy to their 
quarters, full of eagerness and a sense of power, while a busy tele- 
phone transmitted the news to the Wing and rattling typewriters, 
working at top speed, wrote out the mosaic of significant and in- 
dispensable details in combat reports. With these the orderHes 
then flew about the camp, like newsboys rushing out some extra 
about an earthquake, looking for the pilots to get their signatures. 
When it became apparent that we were to leave the 65th Wing, 
it was decided to give a dinner — a "proper" dinner — to the higher 
officers under whom we had served in the Royal Air Force. Many 
of the pilots who had flown with British squadrons invited their 
old C. O.'s. Letters of invitation were written and confided to 
Wilcavage, the dispatch rider, who took a prolonged trip of con- 
stant riding for two days to deliver them. Gen. E. R. Ludlow- 
Hewitt, D. S. O., M. C., loth Brigade; Lieut. Col. J. A. Cunning- 
ham, D. F. C, C. 0. 65th Wing; Major G. R. M. Reid, M. C, C. O. 
211 Squadron; Major Bell, M. C, D. S. O., C. O. 210 Squadron; 
Major R. Collishaw, D. S. O., D. S. C, D. F. C; Major C. T, 
Maclaren, C. O. 206 Squadron; Major W. S. Douglas, M. C, C. O. 
84 Squadron; Major G. R. Howard, D. S. O., CO. 18 Squadron; 

'See Combat Reports, Nos. 3, 4, and 5, pages 56 and 57. 

29 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

Lieut. Col. B. F. Moore, C. O. i A. S. D. were invited. A French 
chef was found at Dunkirk, a menu prepared after much debate, 
wines bought and flags of the Alhes, and the whole camp licked into 
top-notch shape. It was a great evening and on the morning follow- 
ing — a clear fine morning — we "put on" what was, in many ways, 
one of the most spectacular and successful enterprises in which 
the squadron took part — the Varssenaere Aerodrome "show." 

The field in question, which was situated southwest of Bruges, 
was of great extent and housed not less than five squadrons of 
Gothas and Fokkers. Plans for attacking it in great force and by 
surprise were carefully laid and contemplated originally the co- 
operation of four Camel squadrons — a number which was cut 
down to three, when the 148th moved out of the 65th Wing, The 
raid was finally confided to and carried out by 210 and 213 Squad- 
rons, R. A. F., and the 17th Aero Squadron. The rendezvous was 
to be over the sea, and the machines, after they had assembled, 
were to fly inland and attack the aerodrome at dawn and in the 
order given above. Each machine was to carry four 20-lb. Cooper 
bombs, with the exception of the flight commanders' which were to 
carry phosphorus bombs to be dropped on or near the machine 
gun emplacements that guarded the aerodrome. 

A practice flight over the British aerodrome at Andembert, 
near Calais, was made some days before the date set for the real 
attack, and on that occasion a phosphorus bomb was exploded 
in the air over Fort Mardick, between Dunkirk and Gravehnes, 
to mark the rallying point. It looked like a huge dense white 
mushroom hung in the clear blue sky, until it gradually dissipated 
over the sea. From there the squadrons proceeded to and dived 
on Andembert aerodrome, climbing away one after the other in 
strictest predetermined formation to avoid collisions. Colonel 
Cunningham, Major Fowler, and our C. O. "satfoverhead" in their 
Camels to superintend and criticise this preliminary flight. 

After several postponements due to bad weather, it was finally 
decided to attack on August 13th. Before it was fight the 17th 
left our field in formation and disappeared in the pre-dawn mist. 
Soon afterwards those who had watched them go saw a light fired 
over the sea and knew that the rendezvous was made. Two hours 

30 



THE DUNKIRK FRONT 

of anxious waiting followed, for this was the most dangerous job 
we had yet undertaken. The Royal Air Force Communique 
describes the attack as follows: 

A raid was carried out by No. 17 American Squadron on Varssenaere 
Aerodrome, in conjunction with Squadrons of the 5th Group. After the 
first two Squadrons had dropped their bombs from a low height, ma- 
chines of No. 17 American Squadron dived to within 200 feet of the 
ground and released their bombs, then proceeded to shoot at hangars 
and huts on the aerodrome, and a chateau on the N.E. corner of the 
aerodrome was also attacked with machine gun fire. The following 
damage was observed to be caused by this combined operation: a 
dump of petrol and oil was set on fire, which appeared to set fire to an 
ammunition dump; six Fokker biplanes were set on fire on the ground, 
and two destroyed by direct hits from bombs; one large Gotha hangar 
was set on fire and another half demolished; a living hut was set on fire 
and several hangars were seen to be smouldering as the result of phos- 
phorus bombs having fallen on them. In spite of most of the machines 
taking part being hit at one time or another, all returned safely, favour- 
able ground targets being attacked on the way home. 

Colonel Cunningham, who had "gone over" with our squadron, 
was the first to return. He jumped out of his machine and said: 
"I got a Hun!" In the morning haze he had lost the formation 
but found an enemy two-seater out at sea and had shot it down 
near the beach. 

Then one by one the pilots came back, their machines badly 
shot up, but they themselves safe and sound. Everything had 
worked as scheduled. The 210th and 213th had dropped their 
bombs and had climbed away and circled round as protection, 
while our pilots went down and finished the exploit by dropping 
bombs on the chateau, in which the Hun officers lived, the hang- 
ars, the men's quarters, and the workshops. They then flew 
round and round the aerodrome at from fifty to two hundred feet 
from the ground, diving on and shooting at machines lined up 
with engines "turning over" preparatory to "taking oflp," as 
well as at enemy mechanics and pilots scattered about the field. 
Of the machines on the ground our pilots were sure that they had 
"got" at least seven; the British hovering above confirmed the 

31 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

destruction of eight. Months later a captured German revealed 
the fact that in all fourteen had been put out of action. One of 
2IO Squadron's pilots on his return reported having seen Todd 
chase a German flying officer out of his machine and around a 
hangar and that Todd then dodged around the other side of the 
hangar and cut him off. What damage was done to the German 
personnel could never be accurately determined, but reports 
came in from Belgium, when the Belgian and British armies 
reached the vicinity of Bruges, that over one hundred and twenty 
soldier mechanics and about thirty pilots had been killed.^ 

The destruction of Varssenaere aerodrome brought us im- 
mediate recognition from General Salmond and a little later 
a telegram of warm congratulation from the Chief of the American 
Air Service followed by this letter: 

General Headquarters American Expeditionary Forces 
Office of the Chief Air Service 

August 23, 1918. 
From: Chief Air Service, American E. F. 
To: Major H. Fowler, A.S. 
Subject: Work of 17th Aero Squadron. 

1. This office is in receipt of your letter of August i6th enclosing the 
details of the work of the 17th Aero Squadron on August 13th in its 
attack of the German airdrome at Varssenaere. Chief of Air Service 
is particularly pleased with the splendid work done by this squadron 
on the date mentioned. It shows the aggressiveness and working 
together as a squadron, which we are endeavoring to obtain for all 
units of the American Air Service. 

2. I have furnished a copy of your report to the Intelligence Section, 
General Staff, who have informed me that they were greatly pleased 
with the work done and have cabled the information back to the United 
States for publication. 

3. Please express to the Squadron Commander, pilots and soldiers 
of the Squadron the appreciation of the Chief Air Service for the excel- 
lent work performed by them. 

(Sgd.) R. O. Van Horn, 

Colonel, A.S., 
Assistant, C.A.S. 

For and in the absence of C.A.S. 

'See report, page 97. 



THE DUNKIRK FRONT 

The Germans had apparently found out by this time who we 
were and where we Hved, and they paid us an indirect compH- 
ment — a comphment of feeble imitation — on the mastery of our 
attack. A week after the raid and, as it happened, two days 
after we had left Petite Synthe (evidently this move was unknown 
to them), the officers and men of 211 Squadron were awakened 
just at dawn by rapid repeated rafales of machine gun fire from 
the air. Some of them ran out and, behold a solitary Fokker 
diving and then zooming and diving again and again, firing from 
close to the ground burst after vindictive burst into our empty 
shacks and hangars. 

But Varssenaere was not the only "high point," during the pe- 
riod in which we lived at Petite Synthe and patrolled the Belgian 
Front, from Zeebrugge to the northern end of the British lines 
in the region of Mount Kemmel and the Forest of Nieppe. The 
sector was one on which Hun scouts were wary, and yet we suc- 
ceeded in shooting down nine of them, confirmed,^ while with others 
we had many a scrap, far and high over enemy bases of supply, 
the results of which could never — unfortunately for the length of 
the string of our victories — be accurately known. 

On the offensive patrol of August 12th, hangs an amusing tale. 
It was a day when some fighting of the fiercest kind took place 
"Over Ostend," after we had escorted 211's bombers to their 
perpetual target — the submarine shelters, marine works, and 
docks at Bruges. These encounters have not been recorded in 
"Combat Reports," but in the melee Lieut. WilHam J. Armstrong, 
Lieut. Ralph W. Snoke, and Lieut. Harriss P. Alderman, or more 
famiharly "Aldy," were wounded. They were sent to Queen 
Alexandra Hospital, which stood not far from our aerodrome, 
near the little French fort from which Archy fired sometimes 
as many as six hundred rounds a night at the relays of Gothas 
that went overhead on their way to Dunkirk or Calais. Arm- 
strong's wound was rather serious. He had had just strength 
enough to get back to the field where he "sat down" all too vi- 
olently, with the wind behind him, on the back of a standing D.H. 
9. That did not improve his condition. Aldy 's "missive" from 

'See Combat Reports, Nos. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, pages 58-66. 

33 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

the Hun had come through his petrol tank from which it went 
on, as he put it, to "where he sat." The flood of petrol that 
instantly covered him convinced him that he was mortally 
wounded, but he hung on gamely and succeeded in gliding 
west, making the beach a mile beyond Nieuport, on our side of 
things. We did not hear from him for some time, for the Belgians 
"captured" him as a suspicious character. Lieut. Robert M. 
Todd, when he climbed out of his machine, said he believed Aldy 
had gone down into the sea and he told the tale that way to Army. 
Army felt a deep responsibility; he had been flight leader in this 
show and, when later Aldy was brought in from the operating 
room, just as Armstrong was coming out of the ether, the latter 
did not know whether both were alive or both dead. His mind 
was back in the scrap, and the consciousness of the sportsmanship 
they looked for from one another was strong upon him. Over 
his bed some flies hung in the air. He took them for Fokkers 
sailing about high, high up. The nurse tried to calm him: "They 
are only flies," she said. But he, unpersuaded, reached out his 
hand and clutched an imaginary stick while, working it around 
in front of him and throwing himself about on the bed, as in ver- 
tical banks, half rolls, and zooms, with his eyes glued on the flies, he 

drawled : " Come on, Aldy ! There they are, up there, the 

dogs. But they won't come down and fight; they won't come 
down! Stick with me, Aldy; we'll show them where we're from. 

We'll crash the last one of them." So he manoeuvred 

and manoeuvred about on his bed vainly trying to get on the tail 
of one of those flies. 

The next day, after much bustle and fuss of orderlies and nurses 
to get the hospital into fitting shape, His Majesty, King George, 
arrived to inspect it. Aldy and Army knew, as they lay there, 
something of the suspense that must precede being given a V.C, 
though they did not kid themselves with visions of such heights. 
The King came down their ward, very simply, with a word for 
every wounded man — an expression of interest, a touch of sym- 
pathy. When he reached Snoke, he said: "Ah, some Americans! 
I hope you are quite all right. I see you were wounded in the 
head." And then to Army: "How are you, and where were you 

34 



THE DUNKIRK FRONT 

wounded?" "In the back and arm, Your Majesty." Finally 
he reached Aldy with: "Ah, another! And where were you 
wounded?" Aldy had a terrible moment of self-consciousness, 
but his quick-witted reply was: "Over Ostend, Your Majesty." 
The King understood. A smile of delighted amusement crept 
over his face and spread to the faces of the officers of his suite. 
Aldy's wound became, from that moment, as it were, a public 
possession, and its exact location was always thereafter described 
in polite society — for had not a king understood? — as "Over 
Ostend." 



35 



i 




Hamilton gets a balloon 



% 



CHAPTER III 

The Beginning of the British Drive for Cambrai. 
Our Auxi-le-Chateau Period 

ON AUGUST 1 8th we were ordered to move to Auxi-le- 
Chateau. Word came at ii o'clock at night, while the 
Hun was overhead, and we were ready to pull out at 
dawn. We arrived the next day, covered with the deep white 
dust of the road from Dunkirk, through St. Omer, Fruges, and 
Hesdin. At the entrance of our new field. Brig. Gen. C. A. H. 
Longcroft, D.S.O., Col. P. H. L. Playfair, M.C., O.C. 3rd Bri- 
gade, R.A.F., and a number of other staff officers were waiting 
to welcome us — a courtesy we shall not soon forget. 

At Auxi our aerodrome was delightfully situated. It lay on 
rising ground, to the southeast of the town, on the old Auxi-le- 
Chateau-Crecy Road. The officers' tents, well dug in, were pep- 
pered down a slope under the edge of a little forest of small trees 
where owls hooted at night and in which later the CO. had his 
hut. 

On the first patrol we sent over the lines (August 21st) from 
Auxi, Lieutenant Showalter drove down one enemy machine, 
and on the afternoon show. Lieutenants Tipton and Campbell 
each drove down one. Lieutenant Williams drove down two out 
of control, and Lieutenant Hamilton destroyed another.^ 

The push was now on that began at Chateau Thierry, and 
we were called upon to make a continuous and extraordinary 
effort in those momentous hours. Low bombing and machine 
gun attacks on balloons and infantry were the order of the day, 
and we sent out two machines at a time all day long, from dawn 
to dark. 

On one of these bombing shows (August 23 rd)^ there was an 

^See Combat Reports, Nos. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 23, pages 66-70. 
2 See Bombing Report, No. 2, page 99. 

37 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

incident — among many more or less dramatic of the same kind 
that it would require pages to chronicle — which was always known 
among us as "WiUiams' Show." The R.A.F. thought it worthy 
of being recorded as follows in their official communique: 

Lieutenant Williams, 17th American Squadron, was shot in the back 
and his petrol tank pierced by machine gun fire. In spite of his wound 
he came back with his finger stopping the hole in the petrol tank and 
landed successfully after having engaged transport from a height of 
100 feet. 

During the next four days we shot down a balloon a day, with 
the exception of the 23 rd when we put on low bombing shows 
exclusively.^ It was on one of these expeditions that Lieutenant 
Hamilton, one of the most fearless and expert pilots we ever had, 
was shot down from the ground just as he was zooming away 
from the "sausage" he had set on fire — his second in two days. 

It was the nature of the fighting on the ground, while the Hun 
was going back, that worked so complete a change in our opera- 
tions. The Air Force of the enemy was largely concentrated in 
the vicinity of Cambrai, but the congestion on the roads behind 
his lines gave us an opportunity of doing greater damage to his 
morale and material by attacks on moving infantry and trans- 
port, than we could ever have accomplished by devoting all our 
attention to his scouts. The latter, for the most part, flew in 
very large flocks and, except for sallies from time to time against 
small detached flights of Allied machines, they waged a defensive 
offensive. It was but natural, however, that they should make 
low-bombing and machine gun attacks on ground targets hazard- 
ous in the extreme. That was no doubt part of their business. 
In other words they were there, but we, when carrying out such 
machine gun attacks and especially when loaded with bombs and 
flying a height of a few hundred feet, had few chances to attack 
and "get" them.^ We depended upon other squadrons patrolling 
higher up, at various levels, to look out for Fokkers, while we did a 

'See Combat Reports, Nos. 22, 24, and 28, pages 69, 71, and 73. 

*For other encounters of this period, see Combat Reports, Nos. 25, 26, 27, and 29, 
pages 71-74- 

38 



OUR auxi-le-chAteau period 

job that cost us casualties and doubtless too a certain quota of 
what would have been our legitimate toll of Huns during these 
furious days. In many ways, on the other hand, "ground- 
straffing" is a severer test than most fighting of a pilot's stamina 
and skill and of the rigging and fitting of his machine. Perhaps 
too this work of ours helped more to bring the end of the war a 
little nearer than if we had shot down many enemy scouts in that 
first week. From Intelligence we knew that our attacks did 
much to shatter the German soldier's faith in his own airmen. 
At all events we came down on the Hun without cessation, as he 
retired in the direction of Cambrai, shooting up his convoys that 
became a wild confusion of broken lorries and runaway horses, 
and scattering his infantry from the roads into the fields, inflicting 
on them many casualties.^ From the ground over which our 
pilots buzzed the Hun sent up all manner of "stuflF" from Archy 
to pom-poms and a hail of machine gun fire. But no feat was 
too daring for them, and their extremely manoeuvrable machines 
made their work only the more spectacular. 

It was on one of these raids that George Wise disappeared. 
His engine failed and he was made prisoner. Merton Campbell 
too was ** missing" on the 23rd, and when the Boche had gone 
back beyond Thiepval and Contalmaison we found his grave. 
He had landed, upside down, in that broad belt of shell-torn coun- 
try where there is not a yard not shattered by heavy explosive. 
His grave was a low soft mound beside his crashed machine. On 
it the usual inverted bottle, stuck in the mud, contained an en- 
velope, blood-soaked and bearing his name. We made a cross of 
a broken four-bladed "prop" of fine mahogany that we got from 
salvage, and engraved a nameplate on a copper disk. We took 
it up past wrecked villages and then more wrecked villages, into 
the old No Man's Land of some of the fiercest battles of the war. 
At the head of his grave without ceremony we set it up. He lies 
there, one of our stoutest, by a file of tree trunks smashed and 
stripped and grotesquely rigid against the sun, under a little slope 
of ground rising toward the east that has been blasted into dust 
by months of artillery fire. 

'See Bombing Reports, Nos. i, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, pages 98-106. 

39 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUARDON 

Both Hamihon and Campbell were at once awarded the Dis- 
tinguished Flying Cross by the British and their people notified. 

The twenty-sixth of August was our most tragic day. It had 
rained in the night and a gusty wind had begun to blow at dawn, 
getting stronger and gustier as the day advanced. Low clouds, 
with gaps of blue between them, streamed thickly up from the 
southwest over the rolling hills beyond the aerodrome. Our 
Besseneaux hangars bulged up and flapped; our tents were all 
swollen on one side and lean and caved in, against the wind, on 
the other; the aeroplane fabric that covered the holes we called 
our windows, in the Squadron Office shack, were belHed and tense; 
the little wood was full of the noise of the wind. It was blowing 
in fits at seventy or eighty miles an hour. 

At four thirty in the afternoon the Colonel rang up and said 
that there were a lot of Huns about on the lines and that some of 
our "low-strafPers" were in trouble on the Bapaume-Cambrai 
Road. 

Tipton, who was called upon to lead the patrol, had been moody 
and silent ever since Hamilton had "gone West" (August 24th). 
He sat in the Mess all day long and played the gramophone to 
himself, holding his big, slightly bald, blond head in his hands, a 
dead cigar in the corner of his mouth. He was " fed-up." He did 
nothing but stare into the gramophone, while it wheezed and 
growled and squeaked out "Old Bill Bailey," "The Mississippi 
Volunteers," or "Poor Butterfly." 

"Tip" got the patrol away in good style and they disappeared — 
eleven of them — over the trees. One machine returned before 
long with engine trouble, then another with guns jammed. Two 
hours passed. Then Goodie and Snoke arrived. Some of us 
will never forget the look in Goodie's light blue eyes, as he stood 
in the dusk, with his back against the door between the Squadron 
Office and the Pilots' Room. There was a huge map of the 
Third British Army front on the wall behind him. He pointed 
out where "it" happened, and slowly, bit by bit, from him and 
Snoke we got the story^ while he continued to stare, seeing us 
only a little, at the fight that was stamped almost visible on his 

'See Combat Reports, Nos. 30, 31, 32, and 33, pages 74-77. 

40 



OUR auxi-le-chAteau period 

eyes. He and "Snokle" seemed horrified and crest-fallen — all 
broken up — to be standing there, though each of them had put up a 
wonderful show, when Tip and Todd and Frost and Jackson and 
Bittinger and Roberts had not returned. Dixon too was missing; 
but after a long wait, in which we gave him up as lost, he came 
"hedge-hopping" over the trees, having been driven down almost 
to the ground and having lost his way in the driving mist and 
high wind. 

What really happened was this. Their mission, as we have said, 
was to cover low bombing operations, as it turned out, of the 148th 
Aero Squadron. On crossing the lines five Fokkers were no- 
ticed climbing east of Queant at about five o'clock. Immedi- 
ately afterward the five Fokkers in question were seen to attack a 
Camel at a height of about 1,000 feet. The patrol at once went 
down to the assistance of the Camel (afterward identified as 
that of Lieut. George Seibold of the 148th Squadron) and attacked 
the enemy machines. Several other flights of Fokkers were 
then observed coming down through rifts in the clouds from 
6,000 feet. The wind was blowing furiously into Hunland. A 
general engagement took place in which still other flights of Fok- 
kers came down from higher up. In addition to the Combat 
Reports referred to. Lieutenant Dixon fired indecisively at a 
number of other enemy machines, as did Lieutenants Goodnow 
and Snoke. The latter's Camel was riddled with machine-gun 
fire and he only just succeeded in getting back to the aerodrome, 
pursued over the lines by a number of Fokkers sitting on his tail 
and firing without let-up. 

That was our worst day. Jackson had got his permission to 
cross the lines only a day or two before, and Roberts had returned 
from hospital within the preceding twenty-four hours. We gave 
them all up for lost, but more than a month later a post card came 
through the Aviation Officer in London from Tipton. He seemed 
chiefly concerned to know what had become of the much-prized 
Hun rifle that he had found on one of his expeditions to the front 
lines. He remarked however, en passant, that in going down he 
had got two Huns and that Todd, before he landed, had added 
another to his string. He, Todd, and Frost were prisoners. 

41 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

Bittinger has also been reported a prisoner from other sources, 
but the exact circumstances of his fate still remain obscure. 

The Mess had an undercurrent that night that it seldom had. 
But on the surface we still carried on without any false pride in 
our stiff upper lip. It was a hard blow — two flight commanders 
and eight pilots within a week. We consoled ourselves with the 
thought that they had done more damage than we had received. 
That was something, and that was the spirit with which we and 
the British fought. 

For about a week the British wisely kept us out of the 
fray. New busses arrived. New pilots were assigned, notably 
Lieut. George A. Vaughn who had been doing fine work with 84 
Squadron, R.A.F. He was placed in command of *'B" flight. 
Lieut. William T. Clements came from the 148th Aero Squadron 
as flight commander of "C" flight. 

What we felt, in the weeks that followed, to be our chief reason 
for pride — and to some of us it was a matter of astonishment — 
was that in spite of the naturally sobering eff'ect of such a day, we 
could have defied the most critical eye to discern any abatement 
in the impetuosity of our flights' attacks, any relaxation in their 
unfaltering audacity and devotion to their duty of "doing in" 
the Hun or, day by day, helping in large and larger measure 
to chase him from the skies. We carried the battle far over the 
enemy lines. We did not penetrate now as far, of course, as we 
had on certain patrols from Dunkirk when we operated more 
than thirty miles over in hostile territory. This latter feat — in 
itself no mean achievement for scout machines equipped with ro- 
tary motors — could not be repeated on the front of the greatest 
battles of the war where the enemy had thrown in prodigally his 
best and largest "circuses." In other words, in the face of any 
losses we sustained, the pilots kept intact or, in some cases, in- 
creased the intensity of their offensive spirit. 

Life went on at Auxi. On "dud" days we sent to Abbeville 
and Boulogne for little luxuries for the Mess. We improvised a 
band out of old shell-cases on which Vaughn used to beat out hur- 
rying rhythms of "Coon Songs" and "Turkey Trots." We sent 
Aldy — he of the soft southern drawl and sometimes amusingly 

42 



OUR AUXI-LE-CHATEAU PERIOD 

pointed speech — to buy a piano. He was gone all a long day of 
rain and mud, and came back after nightfall with a strange instru- 
ment of carved mahogany bearing conspicuously the date: 1856. 
At dinner he was very much kidded about his exploit, since 
he had been assured by his Frenchman that the carved mahogany 
box was perfectly in tune, its action perfect, and that it was a bar- 
gain at four hundred francs — this although every other key 
stayed "put" when struck and even the "Mississippi Volunteers** 
died away on it, after the first ten bars, into fragmentary notes 
that just survived amid the tumultuous rattle of shell-case and 
bottle traps, the blare of Schneider on a cornet, and the moan of a 
saxophone as the CO. played it extemporaneously. But all 
things are possible in an aero squadron. The piano — the great 
virtue of which Aldy afterward claimed was its portabihty, 
feeling perhaps that if he had not been a good mark for the Hun 
as he threw his bus around in the sky, he had been "touched" 
by one Frenchman, whom he had made rich beyond all expecta- 
tion with his shower of American gold — the piano, our piano, was 
overhauled and made serviceable. Later we matched 87 Squad- 
ron, R.A.F., "doubles or nothing" for it and recovered two hun- 
dred francs. 

While we were operating from the Auxi aerodrome, often in 
conjunction with the 148th Squadron, the line moved east rapidly 
and it was necessary for us to establish at Beugnatre, near Ba- 
paume, an advanced landing ground from which we took up wire- 
less interception and devoted ourselves to attacking enemy two- 
seaters. A detail of mechanics, accompanied by a medical 
orderly, was sent forward and hangars erected. This site was 
that of an old British aerodrome, afterwards in the possession of 
the Hun. The trees were smashed, the numerous rusty Nissen 
huts that lined the road riddled and torn and caved in, the aero- 
drome a mass of shell holes (among which the R.E.8's, that shared 
it with us, landed on their first day out there), the quarters an 
unrecognizable heap of splinters, the road almost impassable. 
The Hun had constructed deep dugouts and, out of scraps of old 
sheet iron he had left about, quarters were erected and in them 
wireless apparatus established. The shell holes too were filled in. 

43 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

We kept a flight of machines there, from dawn to dusk, from 
September loth to September 20th. The men and officers who 
went up to Beugnatre on special duty came back to camp with a 
most marvellous collection of souvenirs.^ 

•For other engagements of this period, see Combat Reports, Nos. 34, 35, 36, and 37, 
pages 77-79- 



44 




CHAPTER IV 

The British Break the Cambrai Front. 
Our Sombrin Period 

N SEPTEMBER 20th we were ordered to proceed to Son- 
camp aerodrome, near Doullens, which was being vacated 
by No. 12 Corps Squadron, R.A.F., of R.E.S's. Eighty- 
seven Squadron, R.A.F., a Dolphin unit commanded by Major 
C. J. W. Darwin, D.S.O., was moving to the same field on the 
same day. It was cold and rainy and the clouds low and broken. 
The machines got away and the transport; stores and barrack 
bags, shops and officers' kits were packed, the camp at Auxi policed 
and we started. 

Soncamp aerodrome is not far from the little town of Sombrin 
that lies rather scattered and nondescript — a typical French farm- 
ing village — on the road through Grand RuUecourt to Frevent, 
It occupies — the aerodrome — the north side of a farm the house 
of which, enclosed in a large gray stone wall, suggests some relic 
of a small convent — an impression that the high archway into the 
great square farmyard strengthens. The hangars were per- 
manent and of camouflaged corrugated iron. There were good 
Adrian huts as barracks for the enlisted men, and we pitched our 
officers' tents and the two marquees that were to be the Mess 
in a triangle of pasture, beside a growth of underbrush, at the 
upper end of the camp. To this end we also moved the old 
wooden shack that we made into a very comfortable Squadron 
Office, C.O.'s office, and pilots' room. Soon it was full of docu- 
ment files, maps, clicking typewriters, and miniature Hun aero- 
planes.^ 

The mud in this camp was omnipresent and deep. We waded 
through it constantly, for the hangars were divided between 87 
Squadron and ourselves, and our Supply Office, men's mess, men's 
quarters, and recreation hut, as well as our transport, armory, 

45 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

petrol and ammunition dumps, were at the entrance of the aero- 
drome, entirely separated from the Squadron Office, On the 
day we moved in, the little by-road behind the hangars was 
blocked by a couple of lorries sunk deep in the mud that only 
unloading and many efforts succeeded in dislodging. 

At Soncamp it poured oflF and on much of the time, and we slept 
in the damp and lived in the damp until a bright idea came to us. 
ElHson, who was resting after having "crashed" just inside of our 
lines with all controls shot away and three Fokkers on his tail 
peppering him everywhere but in the vital spot, carried it out 
with the help of others who turned to with the zest of men chilled 
to the bone. They built a fireplace, out of old red petrol tins 
filled with mud, in the side flap of one of the marquees. The 
smoke of the fire made its way chiefly, not up the elaborately cal- 
culated chimney of superimposed oil drums with their heads 
knocked out, but into the marquee itself where coughing, tearful 
forms moved about as in a mist. Yet that too was cured and the 
"Band" beat out "'N Everything" with new ardour, while 
"Smoke 'em out" and "Rummy" held sway on nights of drench- 
ing rain. 

The trials and tribulations of the Mess Officer, Lieutenant 
Ayers, grew apace at Sombrin, for we were far from base supply 
depots which were, in fact, fast shutting up shop to follow the great 
advance of General Byng's army, and far too from the depots of 
the Front that constantly moved away after the retreating Hun. 
"Grousing" made itself heard. Finally to help out. Lieutenant 
Giesecke, commonly known as "Gesooks," stepped into the breach. 
Among other innovations for our comfort, he contrived a toaster 
made of wire net and an unserviceable blowpipe, and was thereafter 
called "O. C. Toast." 

We opened the Soncamp chapter with a flourish on September 
22nd. While on the morning patrol, Lieutenant Vaughn saw 
fifteen Fokkers dive, as he thought, on our "C" flight formation 
from 15,000 feet. Though outnumbered nearly five to one, he led 
his flight impetuously to the attack and, in the midst of furious 
and numerous "bursts" fired by all our pilots, the results of which 
could not be observed because of the bewildering intensity of the 

46 



OUR SOMBRIN PERIOD 

engagement, he shot down one Fokker in flames and crashed an- 
other, while Lieutenants Wicks and Knotts accounted for two 
more. In all over thirty enemy machines were engaged on this 
patrol alone.^ 

Lieut. Theose E. Tillinghast, whose health at the time was so 
frail that he was constantly dodging the doctor and whose veins 
were blue under the thin skin of his temples, yet who would never 
give up flying and fighting, was missing from this scrap. He 
afterward turned up in London, with a most amusing tale to tell 
of how he escaped through a hole in the roof of the house **they '* 
had locked him up in, made his way from Valenciennes to Bel- 
gium, where he got a suit of civilian clothes, and was passed from 
Belgian home to Belgian home at night, as it were by schedule, on 
a regular underground railway. Finally he reached Brussels 
where he moved about the streets freely, greatly enjoying him- 
self and his precarious situation. He even went to the length, it 
seems, of taking a trolley ride to a neighboring German aero- 
drome which he inspected carefully and at length. There, or in 
Brussels, he became fast friends with a most opportune person — 
the Belgian engineer who ran the electric plant from which the 
current for charging the frontier wire barrier was drawn. The 
latter amiably let him into all his official secrets with regard to 
which wires were charged and which not, supplied him with rub- 
ber gloves and a pair of nippers and, having set the hour for his 
crossing over, gave him final formal instructions about making 
good his escape. This "Tilly," as we called Tillinghast, did to 
his own immense satisfaction. 

From this patrol Lieut. Gerald P. Thomas also failed to return. 
We missed from the Mess, more than we admitted to ourselves, 
"Tommy's" quiet manner, his boyish clean simplicity, his steady 
blue eyes and bright blond hair. Often, very often, one heard his 
name spoken. He had never thrust himself forward, but had done 
his job unostentatiously and simply. Almost without our re- 
alizing it he had made a deep dent in our memory. 

September 22nd i^ in yet another sense, one of our days. The 
order conferring on Vaughn the Distinguished Flying Cross, for 

^See Combat Reports, Nos. 38, 39, 40, 41, and 42, pages 80-83. 

47 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

which on that very 22nd he had again so valorously shown his 
especial worthiness, bears, as it were by a strange coincidence, 
that date. Here is the order: 

Routine Orders 

by 

General F. M. H. S. Rawlinson, Bart., 

G.O.V.O., K.C.B., K.C.M.G. 

Commanding Fourth Army 

September 22, 1918. 

Military Secretary's Branch 

2533 (2)- Immediate Rewards (a). Under authority delegated by 

His Majesty the King, the Field Marshal Commanding-in-Chief has 

made the following awards for gallantry and devotion to duty in action: 

The Distinguished Flying Cross. 
Lieutenant G. A. Vaughn, United States Air Force, attached Royal 
Air Force 

H. C. HoLMAN, Major-General, 

D.A. and Q.M.G., Fourth Army. 

Later, and for no less reason, Burdick and Knotts were simi- 
larly decorated by the British. 

Dud weather now set in with a vengeance. But the ofren- 
sive went on. The line changed from day to day. Those were 
the days of the great battles, on the Third Army Front, for the 
Canal du Nord, the Hindenburg Line, the Canal de I'Escaut, and 
Cambrai. As the Boche retreated, even through cloud and rain, 
we bombed his transport and troop concentrations in the sunken 
roads near Esnes and Estourmel. Of Awoingt station, or "Up 
Wink" as the pilots called it, we made a special target and 
touched off its munition dumps. ^ 

Two days after our arrival at our new station Lieutenant Knotts 
took a new pilot, Lieut, Edgar G. White, out to show him the lines 
and, having waggled to him to " go home," went over and dived on 
a German convoy that he saw moving from Cambrai toward 
Bapaume. As he fired, he turned his "tracers" along the 
roadside into an ammunition dump, that immediately blew up. 

'See Bombing Reports, Nos. 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 27, and 30, pages I12-116, 
1 19-124, 130-133, I34-I3S> and HO- 

48 




f 
















Running down a German staff car 



OUR SOMBRIN PERIOD 

The explosion was formidable and was reported, independently, 
as a feature of the day at the Front, by Lieutenant Springs of the 
148th Aero Squadron and by a ground officer of 59 Squadron, 
R.A.F., who was stationed at the Advanced Landing Ground. 
Both observed from far off the immense column of smoke that 
it made and, at the moment, without knowledge of the cause. ^ 

Knotts too it was who a little later "pulled" the famous stunt 
of pursuing a closed Hun staff car through the village of Naves 
and down a road, from about fifty feet from the ground, until it 
overturned in the ditch. "Its occupants fell out," he remarked 
laconically, on reporting to the Squadron Office, "and one of them 
got up and ran. I fired at him. The other did not move." 

Over and over again, as the battle for Cambrai progressed, our 
patrols met and made sallies at a large formation of blue-tailed 
Fokkers. We tried to ambush them in the clouds or, on clear 
days, we sailed around in an unconcerned and unguarded kind of a 
way, hoping to coax them nearer to our Hnes. The "Blue-Tails" 
did much the same to us. They were a stout "bunch" that 
needed really no coaxing at all, if for a moment they "had it on 
us" even a little in numbers, and several times we got into some 
fairly good "close-ups" with them. As flyers they were by far 
the best Huns and, as fighters, the most aggressive, we had ever 
encountered. The Blue-Tails were in fact, as we found out 
afterwards, one of the most famous of the Boche organizations 
and well known for their depredations on other fronts. 

For a couple of days we "curtsied" to them, passing the time 
of day at long range, and we knew perfectly well that, sooner or 
later, something was bound to happen, especially as, at that time, 
we were making a business of "picking on" enemy two-seaters. 
On September 24th, at 10 o'clock in the morning, our formation 
of fourteen machines saw, rather far off, an enemy formation of 
thirteen, accompanied by two other formations of eight each. 
Nothing happened. Fifteen minutes later one of our flights 
dived to 5,000 feet on two two-seaters and chased them scuttling 
past the canal south of Cambrai. They were bait, for not long 
afterward, as our flights were buzzing along, at about 9,000 feet 

^See Bombing Report, No. lo, page io6. 

49 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

over Havrincourt Woods, a formation of sixteen Blue-Tails 
dropped on them without warning from 16,000 or 17,000 feet, 
while a number of other Fokkers "sat up-stairs" waiting for 
their best moment to pounce on us. Fokkers dive well; they had 
the "jump" on us at last; and our luck for the moment was bad: 
four of our machines were incapacitated on the spot with gun-jams 
and C. C. gears out of action. But the other ten took up the 
gage thrown down, and before the spluttering rat-tat-tat-tat of 
machine guns on all sides had ceased we had taken a toll of five 
destroyed and one driven down out of control, without losing a 
single pilot or machine.^ Later, on the same day, the 148th 
"hopped" the Blue-Tails, or what remained of them, and cleaned 
up six of them. 

This picturesquely painted enemy circus was never again seen 
on the Front. 

We did even better on September 28th. It was a very lively 
day just "east of Cambrai." Low bombing attacks on Up 
Wink (Awoingt), where enemy troops were reported heavily 
concentrated, were only part of the entertainment.^ On the 
evening patrol, Lieut. Howard Burdick shot down two Fokkers 
and Lieutenant Vaughn one, in a general dog-fight, in which there 
were not a few indecisive, or if decisive unrecorded, furious close- 
range encounters.^ In the midst of the general mix-up, while the 
rest of the flight were sharply engaged, four Fokkers got on Lieut- 
enant Wicks' tail and working together drove him literally to 
the ground. Wicks never lost his head. He dodged and ducked, 
half rolled, zigzagged and gamely fought on, turning again and 
again on his pursuers, until he was down so near "the carpet" 
that, after the last dive he made before shaking them off^, he stove 
in the leading edge of his wings on the branches of trees, as he 
zoomed past a Fokker out of a little clearing just inside which the 
scrap finally ended. 

During the latter part of September and the greater part of 

*See Combat Reports, Nos. 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, and 51, pages 83-S8. For Sep- 
tember 27th, see Combat Report, No. 52, page 89. 
*See Bombing Report, No. 14, page I12. 
'See Combat Reports, Nos. 53, 54, and 55, pages 89-91. 

SO 



OUR SOMBRIN PERIOD 

October, as our bombing reports show,^ we brought discomfiture to 
the Hun in many forms and helped to break up the organization 
of his retreat toward the frontier, in spite of continued unfavor- 
able weather of low-hanging mists and drizzling rain. We 
added much valuable material to British Intelligence, which made 
it possible to strike the enemy ceaselessly and at his weakest spot. 
We took an active part in those well-regulated and hammering 
blows, fighting hostile infantry and machine gun nests more than 
we fought Hun scouts and observation planes. But we did not 
fail, on the other hand, to take advantage of whatever opportun- 
ity his waning forces in the air gave us. Vaughn and Burdick 
especially never considered a bombing show complete unless 
they hunted out and attacked one of the German two-seaters which 
were vainly attempting to regulate the fire of Boche batteries 
or watch British movements on the ground. Together they ac- 
counted for a D.F.W. and a Halberstadt, in addition to the 
L.V.G. biplane that Vaughn shot down alone toward the end of 
September.^ 

Soon the line began to approach Le Cateau and we were ordered 
to hold ourselves in readiness to move.^ Estourmel was selected 
as an advanced landing ground, and Esnes as the site of a new 
aerodrome from which we were to operate. The "staff" went up 
in cars to look over the lay of the land and make preparations. 
In going one passed through the whole depth of the battlefields 
of four years, from Saulty dump, near Doullens, that the Huns had 
shelled during their great offensive of March and April, through 
villages at first touched only here and there by shell fire, on to 
villages torn and smashed, with gaping roofs and caving walls, 
to villages in the midst of the old battlefield, where nothing lived 
but weeds and where only a sign, mud-covered, in the midst of the 
brick dust and abandoned German material, remained to tell 
that a village once was there. This waste is wide on the Cambrai 
front. Finally new battlefields were crossed — caked clay fresh 
in shell craters, extemporized bridges, and villages more or less 

•See Bombing Reports, Nos. ii to 33 inclusive, pages 106-144. 
^See Combat Reports, Nos. 54, 56, and 57, pages 90, 92, and 93. 
'For our last victories, see Combat Reports, Nos. 58 and 59, pages 93-95. 

SI 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

"done in" — and Cambrai reached with its blackened square and 
torn railway tracks. From there we moved across a green coun- 
try full of dead Huns lying in the tawny grass with their guns and 
tanks, rifles, machine guns, mess tins, broken transport, and piled 
shells and stores. This was the region on which our pilots had 
looked down while they watched for enemy movements on the 
ground or Fokkers in the air. It seemed in some way to belong to 
us, although in it now all the fever of war was dead. 

But we did not move into that region to take part in the battles 
which were fast approaching the scene of the earliest engagements 
between the Germans and the First Hundred Thousand — Mons 
and Maubeuge. We were to "go South," which to us meant go- 
ing to our own armies. We heard the news with mixed emotions. 
We wanted naturally to have some part in the exploits of our 
own people in the field. But we had been very happy with 
the British and had learned their game and how well they 
played it. 

The order came to turn in our British supplies, which was done, 
and we prepared to entrain. The day before our departure 
(October 31st) General Longcroft flew over in his Camel and 
asked that he might say a few words to all ranks. The enlisted 
men were drawn up on three sides of a hangar and he walked 
down their lines asking, here and there, one or another of them 
what his work had been before the war and in the Squadron. 
He then read to officers and men the following letter from Gen- 
eral Byng, commander of the Third British Army. 

Headquarters, 
Third Army, B.E.F. 
30th October, 191 8. 
Dear Longcroft: 

Will you please convey to the Commanders and all ranks of the 17th 
and 148th American Squadrons my sincere appreciation of their excellent 
and valuable work with the Third Army, and thank them very warmly 
for so cordially responding to all the calls made upon them. 
I greatly regret their departure and wish them every luck. 

Sincerely, 

(Sgd.) J. Byng. 

52 



OUR SOMBRIN PERIOD 

He added simply and briefly, but very feelingly, his own apprecia- 
tion of our work and his thanks. The moment was impressive. 
Afterward General Longcroft came up to the Mess and chatted 
with the officers on the British theory of offensive in the air. 

This letter, this little informal but very cordial address, and 
this simple quiet moment of relaxation, which the British know so 
well how to make significant, closed our career with the Royal 
Air Force. 

On November ist we entrained at the railhead at Saulty, pro- 
ceeding in the usual box cars labelled ** 8 chevaux — 40 hommes, " to 
Candas, and thence, via Chateau Thierry and Chalons, to Toul. 
The five Fiat trucks with trailers and one motor side-car proceeded 
at the same time with twelve men and an officer, under the com- 
mand of Lieutenant Wells, through Doullens, Amiens, Roye, 
Noyon, Chateau Thierry, and Chalons, to Toul. The squadron, on 
its arrival, was assigned to the Fourth Pursuit Group, under the 
command of Major Charles J. Biddle, and occupied, with the 25th, 
141st, and 148th, the French cavalry barracks (Casernement 
de Goncourt) at Toul aerodrome, on the north side of the city. 
Spads were designated as the machines that we were to fly, but 
before we could get our full complement of them allotted to us and 
obtain even a part of the tools necessary for testing and tuning 
them up, before our pilots had even a chance to learn to fly them, 
the armistice was signed and active operations were over. 

The 17th Squadron had, at the Front, a singularly happy ca- 
reer; and to that happiness, which diffused a unison through it 
and an intention all its own, it owed doubtless, in no small degree, 
its effectiveness. Imbedded in an allied army, concerning the 
inner workings of which it had neither interest nor knowledge, 
it waged war with a high sense of simple duty uncontaminated 
by the obscure friction and ambitions that so often paralyze action 
and create unfortunate situations of strain, delay, and uncer- 
tainty. We asked for nothing but a chance to show what Ameri- 
can flyers could do with American soldiers standing loyally be- 
hind them. We asked only to be allowed to be, in the fullest 
sense of the words, a fighting unit. This opportunity the Brit- 
ish gave us to their utmost ability and in an unstinted measure 

S3 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

that we might otherwise never have known. They had nothing 
else that they could give — neither advancement nor power. 

And from us — there was no one among us who was more than 
a mere subaltern — they could expect nothing but the quintes- 
sence of an offensive spirit in the face of the common enemy. To 
afford that spirit scope, and to that end alone, they put completely 
and unreservedly at our disposal the great, simple, direct organ- 
ization of the Royal Air Force — an organization from which pre- 
tence, incoherence, and lost motion had been largely burned away 
by the flame of four years' tragic and indecisive warfare. They 
met us as man to man, in the great task of defeating the enemy, 
with a direct cordiality that was a recognition of service in which 
no second thoughts and mental reserves could play a part. They 
supported us eminently, and we lived and fought to be not un- 
worthy of the confidence they had come to repose in us. It was 
a rare situation — never, perhaps, again to be presented. 



54 



CHAPTER V 
Combat Reports 



Pilot: Lieut. R. D. Williams. 

Date: July 20, 1918. 

Time: 9:45 a. m. 

Locality: Near Ostend, two or three miles east. 

Duty: Escort. 

Height: 20000 down to 16000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker destroyed; i Fokker driven down under control. 

Our formation encountered five Fokker biplanes near Ostend. 
They were at about 21000 feet. We were at 20000, but fought 
down to 16000 or 17000. Fired several bursts at rather long 
range, 150-200 yards, at two different machines. One seemed to 
be hit as tracer bullet seemed to explode in fuselage back of pilot. 
He went down under control. 

One other Fokker dove on me firing short burst. Manoeuvred 
so that I was only about twenty-five yards to his left rear, as 
he was making a slow climbing turn; gave him a burst of forty or 
fifty bullets which appeared to enter his machine at pilot's seat. 
He turned on his back and fell straight out of sight, apparently 
out of control. 

(Sgd.) R. D. Williams. 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

2 Section, 6 D.A., Belgian Army, ist Lieut., A.S., Sig. R.C., 
through American Mission. Commanding 17th Squadron. 



55 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

2 

Pilot: Lieut. R. M. Todd. 

Date: August i, 191 8. 

Time: 9:00 a. m. 

Locality: near Piovin. 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Height: 14000 to 16000 feet. 

Result: i Foklcer triplane destroyed. 

While on offensive patrol 8:00-10:00 A. M., August i, 1918, our 
formation met three triplanes and one Fokker biplane at 14000 
to 16000. The leading three of our formation dived on the E.A. 
and when the E.A. turned, I dove on the nearest triplane, opening 
hre at about 100 yards range. The triplane pulled up, allowing 
me to get within 25 yards of him, and my next burst sent him down 
out of control. While watching him, I went into a spin accidently 
and pulled out of it at about 6000 feet. While still diving, I 
saw the triplane crash into a wood near Provin (Hazebrouck SA, 
1-100,000 C.K.). This was about 8:50-9.00 a. m. 

(Sgd.) Robert M. Todd. 
Confirmed: (Sgd.). Samuel B. Eckert, 

R.A.K., Communique, 1st Lieut. A.S., U.S.R., 

No. 18, August I, 1918. Commanding 17th Squadron. 

3 

Pilot: R. D. Gracie. 

Date: August i, 1918. 

Time: 9:30 a. m, 

l>ocality: Wytschaete. 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Height: 1 5000 feet. 

Wliile on O.P., 8:00-10:00 A. M. met five Fokkers and a Pfalz 

at about 16000, at 9:30 a. m. between Wulverghem, Wytschaete, 

Messines and Hollebeke. Fired at one Fokker from below about 

I c;o rounds at 200-300 yards. E.A. went into spin but I did not 

watch him for more than 2000 or 3000 feet as there were other 

E. A. still on top of me. 

(Sgd.) Ralph D. Gracie. 

56 



COMBAT REPORTS 

4 

Pilot: Lieut. M. K. Spidle. 

Date: August i, 1918. 

Time: 9:33 A. M. 

Locality: Between Messines and Hollebeke. 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Height: 14000 feet. 

While on O. P. our formation met three Fokker biplanes and 
one Fokker triplane at 14000 feet at 9:25-9:35 a. m., between 
Wulverghem, Wytschaete, Messines, and Hollebeke. Fired 150 
rounds into Fokker biplane which spun 4000 feet and flattened 
out and then dived again. Did not see it crash. 

(Sgd.) M. K. Spidle. 

5 

Pilot: Lieut. W. H. Shearman. 

Date: August i, 1918. 

Time: 9:35 a. m. 

Locality: Area between Wytschaete and Hollebeke. 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Height: 14000-1 5000 feet. 

Four E.A. seen about a thousand feet above our formation, 
9:25-9:35 A. M., between Wytschaete, Wulverghem, Messines, 
and Hollebeke. We climbed to meet E.A. which when directly 
overhead, dived through formation. A Pfalz attacked right 
of our formation from sun, and came through formation, right 
to left, directly in front of my guns. My first burst struck front 
of machine slightly in advance of cockpit, and machine passed 
slightly under and to my left. I turned and dived putting a 
burst into the cockpit of E.A. The machine wavered, side- 
slipped slightly, went down in a dive. The E.A. was diving 
straight down and I followed him down until I was at 13000 feet, 
the enemy formation being then at 8000 feet, and the Pfalz at 
3000 feet still going down, when I lost sight of him under the 
wing of my machine. The machine was diving directly toward 

our lines. 

(Sgd.) W. H. Shearman. 

57 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

6 

Pilot: Lieut. W. J. Armstrong flying Sopwith Camel, D. 9499. 

Date: August 3, 1918. 

Time: 8:25 a. m. 

Locality: South of Roulers. 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Height: 12000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker triplane destroyed. 

While on offensive patrol, 7:30 to 9:30 a. m., August 3, 1918, I 
met a formation of Fokker biplanes and triplanes. Caught one 
triplane unawares at 8:30 a. m. and fired 50 rounds from thirty 
yards right into him at 12000 feet; saw tracers go straight into 
machine. I overshot and could not follow him down below 
loooo feet. Location about one and a half miles south of 
Roulers. 

(Sgd.) William J. Armstrong. 

While on offensive patrol, 7:30-9:30 a. m., August 3, 1918, at 
12000 feet, I saw an E.A. below me. I dived on this machine to 
9000 feet but was unable to get within firing distance and flattened 
out. I then saw a Fokker triplane go in a steep spiral apparently 
out of control. I spiraled down to between 5000 and 6000 feet 
from whence I saw him crash in a vertical nose dive into the 
ground. 

(Sgd.) W. H. Shearman. 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

R. A. F., Communique ist Lieut., A.S., U. S. R., 

No. 18, August 3, 1918. Commanding 17th Squadron. 

7 

Pilot: Lieut. M. L. Campbell. 
Date: August 3, 1918. 
Time: 8:30 a. m. 
Locality: South of Roulers. 
Duty: Offensive Patrol. 
Height: 12000 feet. 
Result: i Fokker biplane destroyed. 

58 



COMBAT REPORTS 

While on O.P., 9:30 a. m., August 3, 1918, I encountered a 
Fokker biplane at 12000 feet and dived on him following him down 
to 1000 feet firing about 400 rounds (closest range about lOO yards). 
Smoke appeared in the cockpit of E.A., at about 3000 feet but 
machine did not catch on fire. E.A. turned on his left wing tip and 
dived straight down into the ground. I saw him crash in the 
middle of a field of crops and I was then at 1000 feet so came 
straight back. Exact locality unknown on account of clouds. 
Heavy machine gun fire (white tracers) when returning, from roads 
about a mile from where E.A. was seen to crash. 

(Sgd.) Merton L. Campbell. 
Confirmed: (Sgd). Samuel B. Eckert, 

R.A.F., Communique, ist Lieut., A.S., U.S.R., 

No. 18, August 3, 191 8. Commanding 17th Squadron. 

8 

Pilot: Lieut. L. A. Hamilton. 

Date: August 7, 191 8. 

Time: 11:10 a. m. 

Locality: Armentieres. 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Height: 8000-500 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane destroyed. 

While on offensive patrol at 16000 feet we saw eight Fokker 
biplanes at 8000 feet over Armentieres. We dove, taking them by 
surprise. E.A. dove away from us. I settled on the tail of one 
Fokker and fired 200 rounds into him as he spiraled down to 8000 
feet. I followed him down to 5000 feet at which point a cloud of 
black smoke issued from his cock-pit and he went down in an 
extremely steep spiral through a cloud, apparently out of control. 
When I came out of the cloud a Fokker fired at me head on. I 
climbed and turned on to his tail and fired at him following him 
down to about 3000 feet. As he dove away, Lieut. Campbell 
came in on the side and then on to his tail, firing several bursts. 
I saw E.A. crash into a green field just east of Armentieres. 
Lieut. Campbell was at about 100 feet and I was at 500, both 
getting badly machine gunned. When I was going toward the 

59 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

lines I saw another Fokker biplane badly crashed on the ground 
just east of Armentieres, in a trench. 

(Sgd.) Lloyd A. Hamilton. 
For Lieut. R. M. Todd's Statement, see Combat Report, No. lo. 
Confirmed: 
R.A.F. Communique, 
No. 19, August 7, 1918. 

9 

Pilot: R. W. Snoke. 

Date: August 7, 1918. 

Time: 11:20 a. M. 

Locality: Armentieres. 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Height: 8000 feet. 

Result: I Fokker biplane driven down. 

While on offensive patrol at 16000, saw five Fokker biplanes 
at about 8000 feet. Dove and fired 100 rounds at one which I 
followed down to 3500 feet. White smoke appeared to come out 
of the E.A. which continued to go down in a steep spiral. At 
this point I turned to find another E.A. and lost sight of him. 

(Sgd.) Ralph W. Snoke. 

10 

Pilot: M.L.Campbell. 

Date: August 7, 1918, 

Time: 11 :30 a. m. 

Locality: Armentieres. 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Height : 8000 feet. 

Result: 2 Fokker biplanes destroyed. 

I. While on an O.P. encountered a flight of five Fokker bi- 
planes over Armentieres. After getting behind them and in 
the sun, w^e dove on them (E.A. being at about 8000 feet). 
Fired two bursts (about 75 rounds) into one after which he went 
down out of control, having turned over on his back. Other E.A. 
prevented me from watching him further at the time. Closest 
range forty yards. 

60 



COMBAT REPORTS 

2. Attacked another E.A. just west of Armentieres fired about 
eight bursts into him (175 rounds) and drove him down to the 
ground, last burst being at about 100 feet range. E.A. was seen 
to crash in green field, striking nose first. I went down to 100 
feet from the ground. Machine gun fire from buildings when 
returning to our lines. 

(Sgd.) Merton L. Campbell. 
While on offensive patrol at 10:00-12:00 a. m. near Armentieres, 
ran into a formation of five E.A. (Fokker biplanes), at a height 
of about 6000 feet. We dove on them from about 9000 feet and 
four of them dove away from us. The fifth E.A. stayed in clouds 
and I stayed up with him while the rest of the formation went 
down after the four E.A. After two short bursts, the E.A. in 
clouds put his nose down and went into Hunland away from the 
fight. I returned and stayed above the fight at a height of about 
5000 from whence saw two E.A. crash into field. About a minute 
later I saw a Camel after an E.A. very close to the ground. This 
E.A. also crashed immediately. 

(Sgd.) Robert M. Todd. 

(Sgd.) Lloyd A. Hamilton. 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

R.A.F., Communique, ist Lieut, A.S., U.S.R. 

No. 19, August 7, 1918. Commanding 17th Squadron. 

11 

Pilot: Lieut. W. J. Armstrong. 

Date: August 8, 191 8. 

Time: 9:35-945 a. m. 

Locality: Between Zeebrugge and Knocke. 

Duty: Covering Bombing Raid. 

Height: 12000 feet. 

While on offensive patrol, met six Fokker biplanes between 
Zeebrugge and Knocke, at 9:30, at 17000 feet. Three came down 
and we engaged them and drove them down. Then two more 
came down to our height — about 14000 feet. I engaged one of 
them and he went into a dive. I fired about 100 rounds into him 
from a range of fifty yards. My tracers were going right into him. 

61 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

Something seemed to explode in his machine and he kept right on 
diving towards Het Zoute (5.N.6.) with smoke streaming out. I 
followed him down to 7000 feet when another Fokkergoton my tail. 
I engaged him and he went down but levelled out over the sea. 

(Sgd.) William J. Armstrong. 
Indecisive. (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert. 

1st Lieut. A.S., Sig. R.C., 
Commanding 17th Squadron. 

12 

Pilot: Lieut. R. D. Williams. 

Date: August 9, 191 8. 

Time: 8:40-8:45 a. m. 

Locality: i mile south of Armentieres. 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Height : 7000 feet. 

Result: i E.A. driven down out of control. 

Remarks: Three scouts, apparently of new type with no overhang 

and tails rather like Camels, short flat nose that looked like 

rotary motor, going north. Guns firing forward, speed about 

same as Camel. Performance not as good. 

While on O.P. at 8:40-8:45 A. m. this date, I became separated 
from our formation, which was split up in fight near Lille, and 
while trying to overtake it I was cut off by three scouts which 
appeared about 400 feet above me. I turned and attacked leader 
and was immediately attacked by remaining two. After several 
minutes manoeuvring I succeeded in putting burst of thirty or 
forty into leader at about 50 or 75 yards. He fell in steep spiral 
nose dive but was not seen to crash. Continued fight with re- 
maining two, one of which fired burst of 100 rounds or more 
piercing my pressure tank. I switched on to gravity and dived 
zigzag for clouds which were at 3500 to 3000 feet. Crossed 

lines near Bailleul at 8:45. 

(Sgd.) Rodney D. Williams. 

While on O.P. at 8:40-8:45 this date, coming back from the en- 
gagement near Lille our formation was heavily archied, and one 
of our machines was left about a mile and a half behind. Three 

62 



COMBAT REPORTS 

E.A. appeared on his left just south of Armentieres. He imme- 
diately turned to attack them, employing chiefly a climbing right 
turn, and seemed to get on the tail of one of them, which I then 
saw fall in steep spiral nose dive and go below the clouds which 
were about 2500 feet. Shortly after this the Camel disappeared 
into the clouds in a series of sweeps from left to right, followed 
by the remaining two E.A. The fight started at 8 140-8 45, about 
3000 feet which was the height of our formation. 

(Sgd.) T. E. TiLLINGHAST. 

Indecisive. (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

1st Lieut. A.S., Sig. R.C., 
Commanding 17th Squadron. 

13 

Pilot: Lieut. W. H. Shearman. 

Date: August 12, 1918. 

Time: 11:00 a. m. 

Locality: Heyst. 

Duty: Cooperation with Bombers. 

Height: 15000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane destroyed. 

Remarks: Fokker biplane camouflaged with broad irregular 

blotches of black and cream white. 

While on O.P. cooperating with D.H.9 bombing squadron, two 
Fokker biplanes dove on rear D.H.9. We turned to meet them. 
As Fokker turned to fire on one of our formation, he passed below 
me and in opposite direction. I fired burst as he passed and 
swung around on his tail opening fire a second time at about fifty 
yards, my tracers going directly into E.A. Fired 130 rounds 
from this position at point-blank range. E.A. went into straight 
nose dive slowly revolving about its longitudinal axis until he 
disappeared into ground haze. I was at that time at about loooo 
feet. 

(Sgd.) W. H. Shearman. 

While I was on offensive patrol I saw Lieutenant Shearman on 
tail of E.A. firing at point-blank range. The E.A. went down into 
left-hand stall and into a vertical dive slowly revolving. I fol- 

63 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

lowed him down to 7000 feet and he was still in vertical turning 

dive when he disappeared in ground mist. 

(Sgd.) L. E. Case. 

Decisive. (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

1st Lieut. A.S., Sig. R.C., 
Commanding 17th Squadron. 

14 

Pilot: Lieut. M. L. Campbell. 

Date: August 14, 1918. 

Time: 11:25 a. m. 

Locality: Bruges. 

Duty: Cooperation. 

Height: 14000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane destroyed. 

While accompanying bombers over Bruges at about 11:30 we 
were attacked by formation of E.A. from above. I attacked one 
E.A. firing about 50 rounds into him, shortest range about fifty 
feet. E.A. went over on his back and I did not see him again. 
Got two No. 3 stoppages just before E.A. went down. While 
trying to remedy stoppages two E.A. attacked me. They fol- 
lowed me from Bruges, west to the lines firing a large number of 
rounds. Crossed lines just off the ground where I got consider- 
able machine gun fire. 

(Sgd.) Merton L. Campbell. 

While on same patrol saw Lieut. Campbell attack and directly 
after saw an E.A. falling on back in slow spiral. 

(Sgd.) Frank A. Dixon. 
While on patrol saw an E.A. falling on back in a slow spiral 
after being attacked by one of our machines. 

(Sgd.) Lloyd A. Hamilton. 

Pilots of 211 Squadron saw two E.A. shot down and crashed by 
Camels, of which this was probably one. 
Decisive: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

Letter, O.C. 65th Wing, ist Lieut. A.S., Sig. R.C., 

R.A.F.,65-G-245,Octoberi5, 1918. Commanding 17th Squadron. 

64 



COMBAT REPORTS 

15 

Pilot: Lieut. G. D. Wicks. 

Date: August 14, 1918. 

Time: 11:30 a. m. 

Locality: S.W. of Bruges. 

Duty: Cooperation with D.H.9 Bombers. 

Height: 14000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane destroyed. 

While on patrol cooperating with bombers encountered flight 
of six Fokker biplanes and one monoplane. One dived on forma- 
tion, turning into me from rear. L pulled round and fired about 
seventy-five rounds at fifty feet, closest range; saw tracers going 
into fuselage. E.A. went over my head and, without attempting 
to pull up, went straight into Camel machine behind me. Camel's 
tail smashed and E.A.'s left lower wing was torn off. Both ma- 
chines went straight down flopping about. 

(Sgd.) Glenn D. Wicks. 

While on same patrol saw E.A. and Camel falling together- 
The Camel had tail plane and fuselage broken and E.A. had one 
wing torn off. 

(Sgd.) Frank A. Dixon. 
(Sgd.) Jesse F. Campbell. 
Decisive. (Sgd.) L. A. Hamilton. 

Confirmed: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

R.A.F. Communique, ist Lieut. A.S., Sig. R.C., 

No. 20, August 14, 1918. Commanding 17th Squadron. 

16 

Pilot: Lieut. R.M.Todd. 

Date: August 15, 1918. 

Time: 4:30-4:35 p. m. 

Locality: Dixmude. 

Duty: Cooperation with Bombers. 

Height: 12000-9000 feet. 

Coming home from cooperation show with 211 Squadron from 
3:00 p. m. to 5:00 p. M., I lost my leader who dove on Huns and 

65 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

tagged on to Bentley Camel "E" from 210 Squadron. We came 
home together at 12000 feet and as we were about to cross the 
Hnes above Dixmude at 4:50 a Fokker opened fire on us at a range 
of about fifty yards, taking us by surprise. We both turned to 
the right and went after the E.A., the Bentley getting in front 
shot at it. The E.A. pulled up vertically and Bentley went 
underneath him; E.A. stalled and went into nose dive. This 
brought him in my range of fire and I dove on him firing a continu- 
ous burst for 3000 feet at a distance of 50 yards to 100 yards. 
E.A. went underneath me and I lost sight of him and after pulling 
out of dive could not get sight of E.A. again. I was able to see 
my tracers going into the E.A. and the last seen of it the E.A. was 
going down at a terrific speed. 

(Sgd.) Robert M. Todd. 



17 

Pilot: Lieut. W. D. Tipton flying Sopwith Camel, F. 2157. 

Date: August 21, 1918. 

Time: 12:50 p. m. 

Locality: 57c. F.22. 

Duty: O.P. Cooperating with No. 6 Squadron. 

Height: 12000 feet. 

Result: I Fokker biplane driven down. 

At 12:50 p. M., at 57C.F.22, while leading O.P. cooperating with 
R.E.S's, attacked 8 Fokker biplanes who were about 1000 feet above 
me. I pulled nose up, fired at leader who dove down under me. 
I dove on him firing a good burst. He went into a spin, could 
not follow him down as two other E.A. attacked me. Then en- 
gaged three others pulling up my nose and firing from below. We 
then fought a rear-guard action, while returning, as E.A. persisted 
in attacking from above and behind us. Number of rounds fired, 

350- 

(Sgd.) William D. Tipton. 

(Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

1st Lieut. A.S., Sig. R.C., 

Commanding 17th Squadron. 

66 



COMBAT REPORTS 

18 

Pilot: Lieut. F. M. Showalter flying Sopwith Camel, F. 1964. 

Date: August 21, 1918. 

Time: 12:50 p. m. 

Locality: 57C.F.22. 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Height: 1000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane driven down. 

While on O.P. cooperating with R.E.S's, first saw two E.A. 
passing 500 to 800 feet below. One Camel dived on second while 
I dived on first. Fired about 100 rounds at a distance of about 
300 yards. E.A. immediately half rolled to the right and dived 
steeply. I followed him down about 1000 feet firing short bursts 
into him; left him going down in what appeared to be an uncon- 
trolled spin. 

(Sgd.) F. M. Showalter. 

(Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

1st Lieut. A.S., Sig. R.C. 

Commanding 17th Squadron. 

19 

Pilot: Lieut. L. A. Hamilton flying Sopwith Camel, D. 1940. 

Date: August 21, 1918. 

Time: 12:55 p. m. 

Locality: 57C.L.5. 

Duty: Cooperative Off"ensive Patrol. 

Height: 1 2000-4000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane destroyed. 

While on O.P. cooperating with No. 6 Squadron we saw nine 
Fokker biplanes in the distance and headed for them. Some 
dove away and I followed one. He banked around and as I 
opened fire on him he dove away. I got on his tail and from a dis- 
tance of 10-20 yards fired 350 rounds into him during which time 
he did not turn. At 5000 feet he began to smoke and I pulled 
away from him at 4000 feet. 

(Sgd.) L. A. Hamilton. 

^7 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

Lieut. R. M. Todd's Statement. 

While on O.P. cooperating with No. 6 Squadron at 12:00-2:00 
p. M., August 21, 1918, we attacked nine E.A. at a height of 
12000 feet. I dove with Lieut. Hamihon on a Fokker biplane. 
He was within 25 yards of E.A. and followed it for about 5000 feet 
in this position. I pulled out at 5000 feet and while circhng 
around I saw the E.A. crash to earth at 57c. L.5. 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) S. B. Eckert, 

R.A.F. Communique, ist Lieut. A.S., Sig. R.C., 

No. 21, August 21, 191 8. Commanding 17th Squadron. 



20 

Pilot: Lieut. M. L. Campbell, flying Sopwith Camel, D. 1941. 

Date: August 21, 1918. 

Time: i P. M. 

Locality: Cambrai. 

Duty: Cooperative Offensive Patrol. 

Height: iiooo feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane driven down. 

While on a cooperative O.P. with R.E.S's. we met a flight of 
E.A.'s. I turned on the E.A. which was behind and above, fired 
a long burst into him after which he went down in a dive. I had 
to turn at the time to prevent stalHng and lost sight of E.A. Fired 
about 125 rounds at a range of from 250 to 200 yards. 

(Sgd.) Merton L. Campbell. 

Lieut. A. J. Schneider's Statement. 

While on the above mentioned patrol saw Lieut. Campbell 
fire on E.A. which stalled and appeared to go down in a side-slip 
dive; I lost sight of him. 

(Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 
1st Lieut. A.S., S.R.C., 
Commanding 17th Squadron. 
68 



COMBAT REPORTS 

21 

Pilot: Lieut. R. D. Williams flying Sopwith Camel, D. 6595. 
Date: August 21, 1918. 
Time: About i p. m. 
Locality: 57c. F. 22. 
Duty: Offensive Patrol. 
Height: 11 000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane driven down out of control 
I Fokker biplane driven down. 
While on O.P. and cooperating with R.E.S's we met 8 Fokker 
biplanes at one p. m., 57C.F.22; we attacked, our leader diving 
on first Fokker; two Fokkers got on leader's tail and I attacked 
the rear E.A. of the two. Put a burst of 30 or 40 rounds into him 
at a range of 75 yards. Fokker seemed to hesitate, stall, turn 
to the left, and go down very steeply. Dove on the tail of fore- 
most Fokker who half rolled to the right and went down in steep 
dive with another Camel on his tail which followed him several 
thousand feet. 

(Sgd.) R. D. Williams. 
(Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 
1st Lieut. A.S., Sig. R.C., 
Commanding 17th Squadron. 



22 

Pilots: Lieut. L. A. Hamilton flying Sopwith Camel, D. 1940. 

Lieut. R. M. Todd flying Sopwith Camel, D. 9513. 
Date: August 21, 1918. 
Time: 6:45 p. m. 
Locality: 57c.H,i7. 
Duty: Offensive Patrol. 
Height: 2000 feet. 
Result: i enemy kite balloon destroyed. 

While on offensive patrol at about 6:45 p. m., Lieut. Todd and 
myself dove on E. Balloon at 2000 feet at 57c. H. 17. I saw my 
Buckingham going into balloon. I saw observer jump and saw 

69 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

balloon burst into flames at about 200 feet from ground. I fired 
about 300 rounds. 

(Sgd.) Lloyd A. Hamilton. 

Lieut. R. M. Todd's Statement. 

While on offensive patrol at about 6:45 P. m., Lieut. Hamilton 
and myself dove on E. Balloon at 2000 feet at 57C.H.17. I saw 
my Buckingham going into balloon. I saw observer jump and 
saw balloon burst into flames at about 200 feet from ground. I 
fired about 300 rounds. 

Lieut. J. F. Campbell's Statement. 

I saw Lieut. Todd and Lieut. Hamilton fire into balloon and 
saw it burst into flames about 200 feet from ground. 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

R.A.F. Communique, 1st Lieut. A.S., Sig. R.C., 

No. 21, August 21, 191 8. Commanding 17th Squadron. 



23 

Pilot: Lieut. H. C. Knotts flying Sopwith Camel, D. 6513. 

Date: August 21, 1918. 

Time: 7:15 p. m. 

Locality: Bapaume. 

Duty: OflFensive Patrol. 

Height: 3000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane driven down. 

While on O.P. met 8 Fokkers over Bapaume at 7:15. One dove 
at me from side and I turned and fired one burst as he went past 
and dived away. 

(Sgd.) Howard C. Knotts. 
(Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 
1st Lieut. A.S., Sig. R.C., 
Commanding 17th Squadron. 
70 



COMBAT REPORTS 

24 

Pilot: Lieut. W. D. Tipton. 

Date: August 22, 1918. 

Time: 9:50 a. m. 

Locality: 57c. H. 22. 

Duty: O.P. Cooperating with R.E.S's. 

Height: 1000 feet. 

Result: i kite balloon destroyed. 

While on cooperative patrol with R.E.S's at 9:50, dove with 
Lieut. Williams on E.K.B. at 57C.H.22, at 1000 feet. Fired long 
burst up to within 25 yards of K.B. which ignited and went down 
in flames. 400 rounds fired. 

(Sgd.) W.D.Tipton. 
(Sgd.) R. D. Williams. 

Statement by Lieuts. Hamilton, Campbell, Wise, and Wicks. 

While on O.P. cooperating with No. 6 Squadron saw Lieuts. 
Tipton and Williams dive on balloon and shoot at it at very close 
range; the balloon went down in flames. 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

R.A.F. Communique, 1st Lieut. A.S., Sig. R.C., 

No. 21, August 22, 1918. Commanding 17th Squadron. 

25 

Pilot: Lieut. R. M. Todd flying Sopwith Camel, D. 9513. 

Date: August 22, 1918. 

Time: 10:00 a. m. 

Locality: 57c,H.30. 

Duty: Cooperation with R.E.S's. 

Height: 7000-4000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane destroyed. 

While on cooperative patrol with R.E.8 squadron, we started 
down on balloon near 57C.H.32. Five Fokker biplanes attacked 
us at a height of about 7000 feet, and as Lieut. Hamilton and I 
dove on one enemy aeroplane, another E.A. got on my tail; I half 
rolled and came out on tail of E.A. who was diving down. I fol- 

71 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

lowed E.A. for about 1500 feet firing about 100 rounds into it at 
a range of 50 yards. I then lost him, as we had been diving east, 
and did not try to find E.A. again but rejoined formation. 

Lieut. W. D. Tipton's Statement. 

After attacking E.A., saw machine burning on ground in neigh- 
borhood of 57C.H. 25-26-3 1-32. 

Destroyed: "America." 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

Letter, CO. 13th Wing, R.A.F., ist Lieut. A.S., Sig. R.C., 
13 WP 54 October 12, 1918. Commanding 17th Squadron. 

26 

Pilot: Lieut. G. T. Wise flying Sopwith Camel, F. 9983. 

Date: August 22, 1918. 

Time: 10:00 a. m. 

Locality: 57C.H.28. 

Duty: Cooperative Offensive Patrol. 

Height: 6000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane driven down out of control. 

While on patrol cooperating with R.E.S's at 57C.H.28, 10:00 

A. M., one Fokker biplane dove head on; I fired at point-blank 

range giving E.A. good burst. E.A. pulled into stall and fell 

out sideways, going down on side, in side-slipping dive. Could 

not observe result as two E.A. were firing from behind. 

Out of control, "America." 
(Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 
1st Lieut. A.S., Sig. R.C., 
Commanding 17th Squadron. 

27 

Pilot: Lieut. L. A. Hamilton flying Sopwith Camel, D. 1941. 
Date: August 22, 1918. 
Time: 10:00 a. m. 
Locality: 57C.H.30. 
Duty: Cooperative Ofi*ensive Patrol. 
Height: 6000-1500 feet. 
Result: i Fokker biplane driven down. 

72 



COMBAT REPORTS 

While on cooperative patrol with R.E. 8's, I got on to tail of 
Fokker who was firing at a Camel in our formation and followed 
him to 1500 feet. I shot 100 rounds into him with apparently 
no effect and then both of my guns jammed. Last seen going 
east at 500 feet under control. 

Driven down: "America." 
(Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 
1st Lieut. A.S., Sig. R.C., 
Commanding 17th Squadron. 



28 

Pilots: Lieut. L. A. Hamilton flying Sopwith Camel, D. 1940. 
Lieut. J. F. Campbell flying Sopwith Camel, D. 6513. 
Date: August 24, 1918. 
Time: 2:10 p. m. 
Locality: 57c. L34. 
Duty: Low Bombing. 
Height: 1000 feet. 
Result: i kite balloon destroyed. 

While on low bombing east of Bapaume in company with Lieut. 
Hamilton, we attacked an enemy balloon at about 1000 feet. I 
fired 150 rounds at close range and balloon burst into flames and 
went down. I saw Lieut. Hamilton firing all the way down 
at close range on it. 

Remarks. 

Lieut. Hamilton did not return from patrol and was seen 
by Lieut. Campbell, as above, apparently out of control near the 
balloon. 

(Sgd.) J. F. Campbell. 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

R.A.F. Communique, ist Lieut. A.S., S.R.C., 

No. 21, August 24, 191 8. Commanding 17th Squadron. 



73 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

29 

Pilot: Lieut. H. C. Knotts flying Sopwith Camel, B. 5428. 

Date: August 25, 1918. 

Time: 5:50 P. m. 

Locality: Cambrai-Bapaume road, 57c.H.24.d. 

Duty: OflFensive Patrol. 

Height: 2000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane destroyed. 

While on offensive patrol, east of Bapaume, I lost my formation 
and stayed out over lines at about 2000 feet. Overhead was a 
flight of 148 U.S. Squadron. An E.A. diving away from them 
came in front of me. I got on his tail and fired about two bursts 
at a distance of about 10 to 20 yards. The E.A. fell, struck the 
ground, and burst into flames at 57c.H.24.d. I flew over the 
spot later and saw the E.A. burning on ground. About the time 
of my combat I saw an E.A. shot down by a member 148 U. S. 
Squadron, slightly above me. E.A. spun into ground and 
crashed. I saw it afterward on ground about 300 yards from 
where mine was burning. I got on the tail of another E.A. but 
my guns jammed, so came back home. 

(Sgd.) H. C. Knotts. 
Destroyed: "America." 
Confirmed: (Sgd ) Samuel B. Eckert, 

R.A.F. Communique, 1st Lieut. A.S., Sig. R.C., 

No. 21, August 25, 1918. Commanding 17th Squadron. 



30 

Pilots: Lieut. R. M. Todd flying Sopwith Camel, D. 6595. 
Lieut. W. D. Tipton flying Sopwith Camel, F. 5951. 
Date: August 26, 191 8. 
Time: 5:00 p. m. 
Locality: 57C.D.15. 
Duty: Offensive Patrol. 
Height: 1000 feet. 
Result: 3 Fokker biplanes destroyed. 

74 



COMBAT REPORTS 

From Squadron Record Book, August 27, 191 8. 

"On crossing lines 5 Fokkers were seen climbing about E. 
of Queant (57C.D.15) at 5 p. m. Immediately afterwards one 
Camel was seen being attacked by 5 Fokkers in question at about 
57C.B., at 1000 feet. The patrol at once went down to the assist- 
ance of this Camel and attacked the 5 Fokkers. Several other 
flights of Fokkers were then seen coming down from 6000. A 
general engagement occurred in which two other separate flights 
of Fokkers came down from higher up." 

From post card from Lieut. W. D. Tipton, forwarded from Aviation 
Ofliicer, 35 Eaton Place, London, S. W. i. 

"Was brought down in fight on August 26th in which I added 
2 E.A. to my score; wounded slightly in both legs and petrol 
tank shot through. Todd, unwounded prisoner; Frost, severely 
wounded; Wise, unwounded prisoner; also Curtis and Ellis. Todd 
got one in scrap." 

(Sgd.) W. D. Tipton. 
Confirmed : R.A.F., 3rd Brigade, 3 E.A. Destroyed : "America." 
C.R.A.F., 2259-1 G., (Sgd.) S. B. EcKERT, 

November 6, 191 8. ist Lieut. Commanding. 



31 

Pilot: Lieut. R. W. Snoke flying Sopwith Camel, C. 8337. 

Date: August 26, 1918. 

Time: 5:05 p. m. , 

Locality: 57C.E.16-10. 

Duty: OflFensive Patrol. 

Height: 3CXX>-5000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane driven down out of control. 

While on off'ensive patrol I dived on three Fokkers; got on side 
of one which was diving on Camel; fired one hundred rounds at 
about 10 yards into him between his tail and wing. E.A. went 
down flopping about. I saw my tracers going into his cockpit. 
I was then attacked by from five to nine more E.A. from above, 

75 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

so came back to the lines, and picked up two other of our ma- 
chines. As one of my center section struts and right inter-wing 
struts were badly shot, I came home. 
I saw one E.A. crash at 57c. E. 

(Sgd.) R. W. Snoke. 

I E.A. Out of Control: "America." 

(Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

1st Lieut. A.S., Sig. R.C., 

Commanding 17th Squadron. 



32 

Pilot: Lieut. W. W. Goodnow flying Sopwith Camel, B. 7407. 

Date: August 26, 1918. 

Time: 5:05 p. m. 

Locahty: 57c. E. 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Height: 5000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane driven down. 

While on offensive patrol, formation was attacked by a large 
bunch of Fokkers. I stalled up and fired one short burst into 
one above me. He dived. I jumped on his tail; fired a good 
burst at 25 yards range. Another E.A. got on my tail; I turned 
under him and dove under another, turned under another and 
met another E.A. head on. Fired a good burst into him at point- 
blank range and zoomed over him. I could not see effect of my 
fire on any one of these, as three more E.A. got above and behind 
me and followed me back to the lines. 

(Sgd.) W. W. Goodnow. 
Indecisive: "America." 
(Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 
1st Lieut. A.S., Sig. R.C. 
Commanding 17th Squadron. 



!(> 



COMBAT REPORTS 

33 

Pilot: Lieut. F. A. Dixon flying Sopwith Camel, B. 9263. 

Date: August 26, 1918. 

Time: 5:05 p. m. 

Locality: 57C.E. 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Heights: 5000-3000 feet. 

Result: 2 Fokker biplanes destroyed. 

1. While on offensive patrol our formation was attacked by 
numerous E.A. (Fokkers) one E.A. went in front of me; I fired 
150 rounds; E.A. went over on his back and fell down smoking. 

2. Another E.A. was following a Camel down; I got on E.A.'s 
tail, fired 50 rounds at a distance of 25 yards. The E.A. dived 
into the ground. 

(Sgd.) F. A. Dixon. 

Lieut. W. W. Goodnow's Statement. 

1. I saw one E.A. go down in flames about 5:10 P. M. at about 
57C.E. 

2. I saw one E.A. crash at about 5 :io p. m. at 57c. E. 

2 E.A. destroyed: "America." 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) S. B. Eckert, 

R.A.F. Communique, ist Lieut. A.S., Sig. R.C., 

No. 22, August 25, 1918. Commanding 17th Squadron. 

34 

Pilot: Lieut. H. C. Knotts flying Sopwith Camel, B. 7896. 

Date: September 13, 1918. 

Time: 6:45-6:50 P. M. 

Locality: 57c. E. 2. d. 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Height : 4000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane driven down out of control. 

While on O.P. at 4000 feet at 57c.E.2.d., at 6:45-6:50 p. m., 
I saw two Fokker biplanes, one of which attacked an R.E.8. across 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

the lines. He then turned back over the hnes when the forma- 
tion attacked the second E.A. and turning down fired at the for- 
mation from long range. I then made a climbing turn which 
put me on a level of and in the rear of E.A. who was still firing 
at the formation. I immediately opened fire at about 80 yards. 
E.A. turned over on his back and spun down in wide circles still 
on his back until out of sight at about 500 feet. 

(Sgd.) Howard C. Knotts. 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

R.A.F. Communique, ist Lieut. U.S.A. S., 

No. 25, Sept. 16, 1918. Commanding 17th Squadron. 



35 

Pilots: Lieut. W. T. Clements flying Sopwith Camel, F. 5993. 

Lieut. H. C. Knotts flying Sopwith Camel, F. 6308. 
Date: September 17, 1918. 
Time: 6:45 p. m. 
Locality: 51b. R. 14.3. 
Duty: Off'ensive Patrol. 
Height : 4000 feet. 
Result: I Fokker biplane destroyed. 

While on O.P. over Arleux we were attacked by a formation 
of E.A,, II of whom came down leaving 6 above us. In the dog- 
fight which followed we fired on i E.A. with white tail and half 
of fuselage painted white, about 50 rounds, each from the side, 
at a range of about 100 to 75 yards. 

On account of greater numbers attacking, the E.A. was imme- 
diately lost sight of, but same machine identified by painting was 
later seen by Lieut. Knotts crashed at about 5ib.E.i4.a. 

(Sgd.) William T. Clements. 
(Sgd.) Howard C. Knotts. 
I E.A. Destroyed: "America." 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

R.A.F. Communique, ist Lieut. U.S.A.S., 

No. 25, Sept. 17, 191 8. Commanding 17th Squadron. 

78 



COMBAT REPORTS 

36 

Pilot: Lieut. H. Burdick flying Sopwith Camel, F. 2141. 

Date: September 18, 1918. 

Time: About 11 :oo a. m. 

Locality: 57b.G.ii. 

Duty: Offensive Patrol answering wireless calls. 

Height: 1000 to 1500 feet. 

Result: i L.V.G. destroyed. 

While answering call R 99, 2 E.A. 80. IW, our patrol of 3 ma- 
chines found 2 two-seaters at 4000 feet at about 11:00 a.m. but 
not at the location indicated. We chased them down through 
low clouds and then waited above for them to come back. As 
they came up through the clouds, I attacked one of them, a 
L.V.G., diving on him, on his left side, at 1000 to 1500 feet, and 
opening fire at 50 yards range. The observer was seen to be shot 
and stopped firing. A few seconds later the machine burst 
into flames, and fell on 57b. G. 11. 

(Sgd.) Howard Burdick. 

I E.A. in flames: "America." 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

R.A.F. Communique, ist Lieut. U.S.A.S., 

No. 25, Sept. 18, 1918. Commanding 17th Squadron. 

37 

Pilot: Lieut. G. A. Vaughn flying Sopwith Camel, F. 6034. 

Date: September 18, 1918. 

Time : About 1 1 :oo a. m. 

Locality: 57b. G. 10 (Rumilly). 

Duty: Off"ensive Patrol answering wireless calls. 

Height: 1000 to 1500 feet. 

Result: i L.V.G. driven down. 

While answering call R 99, 2 E.A. 80. IW, our patrol of 3 ma- 
chines found two L.V.G. 's at 11:00 a. m., but not where call pin- 
pointed them. They dived through clouds at our approach, and 
came back west. We met them again as they came up through 
clouds. Lieut. Wicks and myself put a number of bursts directly 

79 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

into one of them. I saw the observer crumple up in the cockpit 
and cease firing. The machine, that was then under looo feet, 
went into a steep dive over Rumilly (57b.G.io). Heavy machine 
gun fire from the ground prevented further observation. 

(Sgd.) G.A.Vaughn. 
(Sgd.) G. D. Wicks. 
(Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 
1st Lieut. U. S. A. S., 
Commanding 17th Squadron. 



38 

Pilot: Lieut. G. D. Wicks flying Sopwith Camel, F. 5967. 

Date: September 22, 1918. 

Time: 8:45 a. m. 

Locality: 57b.G.i3 ; west of Rumilly. 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Height: 2000-3000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane destroyed. 

While on O.P. at 8:45 a. m., a formation of about 18 E.A. 
(who were reinforced by more during the fight which followed) 
seemed to dive on "C" flight of our formation. Our flight dived 
into the fight. I dived on to one E.A. who was above the rest, 
and followed him in a wide half-circle down to the ground firing 
about 100 rounds at an average range of 100 yards. E.A. seemed 
to be falling out of control and just at last tried to straighten out 
and land but crashed. 

(Sgd.) Glenn D. Wicks. 
I saw this machine completely crashed on ground at 57b.G.i3. 

(Sgd.) Howard C. Knotts. 

I E.A. destroyed: "America." 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

R.A.F. Communique, ist Lieut. U. S. A. S., 

No. 25, Sept. 22, 191 8. Commanding 17th Squadron. 



80 



COMBAT REPORTS 

39 

Pilot: Lieut. G. A. Vaughn flying Sopwith Camel, F. 6034. 

Date: September 22, 1918. 

Time: 8:45-8:55 a. m. 

Locality: Southwest of Cambrai. 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Height : About 6000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane destroyed. 

While on offensive patrol at 8:45A.M., I dived vertically on 
E.A. which was circling over machine of our formation at 7000- 
8000 feet and fired at him from a range of 50 yards. He dived 
steeply past others of our machines below, and I could not observe 
results, since I turned to engage another E.A. which I shot down 
and which was observed to crash by Lieut. Dixon (See Combat 
Report 9. 22s). 

(Sgd.) G. A. Vaughn. 

While on offensive patrol about 8:45-8:55 a. m., I dived on 
Fokker biplane that came down from among several of our ma- 
chines who were fighting just above me and, just as he passed me 
and I was about to fire on him, he burst into flames and went 
down southwest of Cambrai. 

(Sgd.) Frank A. Dixon. 
I E.A. destroyed: "America." 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

R.A.F. Communique, ist Lieut. U. S. A. S., 

No. 25, Sept. 22, 1918. Commanding 17th Squadron. 

40 

Pilot: Lieut. G. A. Vaughn flying Sopwith Camel, F. 6034. 

Date: September 22, 1918. 

Time: 8:45 a. m. 

Locality: S.E. of Fontaine-Notre-Dame. 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Height: About 7000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane destroyed. 

While on offensive patrol about 8:45 a. m,, I saw about 15 to 18 
Fokkers coming down, as it seemed to me, from 15000 feet, over 

81 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

Rumilly, on our "C" flight formation, I dived to 7000-8000 
into fight with my formation and got on the tail of one E.A., 
firing a good burst into him at 50 yards or less, from behind and 
above. He went down in side-slips and steep dives out of control. 
I followed him down to about 2000 feet, but could not see him 
crash because of many E.A. attacking me, the original E.A. for- 
mation having been reenforced. 

(Sgd.) G. A.. Vaughn. 
I saw this machine (E.A.) crash, at 57c. F. 22, S.E. of Fontaine- 
Notre-Dame. 

(Sgd.) Frank A. Dixon. 
I E.A. destroyed: "America." 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

R.A.F. Communique, 1st Lieut. U. S. A. S., 

No. 25, Sept. 22, 1918. Commanding 17th Squadron. 



41 

Pilot: Lieut. H. C. Knotts flying Sopwith Camel, B. 7896. 

Date: September 22, 1918. 

Time: 9:10 A. M. 

Locality: 5ib.W.22. 

Duty: Off^ensive Patrol. 

Height: 6000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane destroyed. 

While on offensive patrol about 9:10 a. m., Lieut. Clements and 
myself dived on one of two E.A. below us. E.A. came around 
under me trying to escape Lieut. Clements; I fired about 300 
rounds, at an average range of about 20 yards. Saw pilot throw 
up his hands as though he had been hit, but he apparently re- 
gained control again and tried to land, but before he could make 
landing he turned over on his back and crashed into edge of 
•wood, at 5 1. W. 22. a. where I saw him later hanging upside down 
in trees. 

(Sgd.) Howard C. Knotts. 

82 



COMBAT REPORTS 

I saw this E.A. crashed in wood, south of Cambrai, near inter- 
section of canal and road, at 5ib.W.22.c. 

(Sgd.) Albert J. ScHNEroER. 
I E.A. destroyed: "America." 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

R.A.F. Communique, ist Lieut. U. S. A. S., 

No. 25, Sept. 22, 1918. Commanding 17th Squadron. 

42 

Pilots: Lieut. W. T. Clements flying Sopwith Camel, F. 5993. 
Lieut. J. F. Campbell flying Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. 

Date: September 22, 1918. 

Time: 9:40 a. m. 

Locality: Over Inchy. 

Duty: OflPensive Patrol. 

Height: 8000 feet. 

Result: Indecisive. 
While on O.P., 9:40 A. M., about 8000 feet over Inchy, my flight 

attacked a Halberstadt two-seater and I followed up firing about 

75 rounds. We followed him into Hunland about 2 miles and 

then left him on approach of a formation of Fokkers. No effect 

of our fire was observed. (Sgd.) W. T. Clements. 

I fired one burst into above two-seater. No effect observed. 

We left him on approach of a formation of Fokkers. 

(Sgd.) J. F. Campbell. 
Indecisive: "America." 
(Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 
1st Lieut. U. S. A. S., 
Commanding 17th Squadron. 

43 

Pilot: Lieut. H. C. Knotts flying Sopwith Camel, B. 7896. 

Date: September 24, 1918. 

Time: 10:40 a. m. 

Locality: 57c.F.i.a. (Coupez Mill). 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Height: 6000 feet. 

Result: 2 Fokker biplanes destroyed. 

83 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

While on O.P., at 6000 feet, about 10:40 a. m., we were attacked 
by a formation of eight E.A. who were apparently diving at our lower 
flight. Lieut. Clements went after one. I went after another, but 
saw an E.A. with a green tail and red fuselage get on Lieut, 
Clements' tail. I immediately turned from the E.A. I was diving on 
and attacked the one on Lieut. Clements' tail. I fired a long burst of 
about 100 rounds, at about 40 to 50 yards range. He went straight 
down to the ground and crashed at 57c.F.i.a. (Coupez Mill). 

While on the same patrol as above, I turned back west to pick 
up my formation and was fired on from the rear by another E.A. 
with a white tail. I turned back and got on his tail. At my first 
burst he burst into flames. While turning I saw four more E.A. 
right on top of me. I dove and turned toward the lines and came 
directly back as I was having trouble with my guns. The four 
E.A. followed me to the Hues. (Sgd.) H. C. Knotts. 

2 E.A. destroyed: "America." 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

R.A.F. Communique, ist Lieut. U. S. A. S., 

No. 26, Sept. 24, 191 8. Commanding 17th Squadron. 

44 

Pilot: Lieut. L. J. Desson flying Sopwith Camel, H. 7272. 

Date: September 24, 1918. 

Time: 10:40 a. m. 

Locality: 57c. J-P. 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Height: 5000-6000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane driven down. 

While on off"ensive patrol, I attacked an E.A. (Fokker), getting 

in two bursts of 75 rounds, at 20 yards, after getting on his tail. I 

saw my tracers going directly into the cockpit of the machine. 

E.A. went down apparently under control. I could not observe 

results on account of the many Fokkers attacking at that moment. 

(Sgd.) Lieut. L. J. Desson. 
(Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 
1st Lieut. U. S. A. S., 
Commanding 17th Squadron. 

84 



COMBAT REPORTS 

45 

Pilot: Lieut. W. T. Clements flying Sopwith Camel, F. 5993. 

Date: September 24, 1918. 

Time: 10:40 a. m. 

Locality: 57c.E.27.b. 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Height: 6000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane destroyed. 

While on offensive patrol, at 13000 feet, at about 10:40 a, m. 
eight F/)kkers started diving, apparently on our lowest formation. 
We followed them down, catching them at about 5000 to 6000 feet. 
In fight which followed I got on one Fokker's tail, firing about 150 
rounds, at an average range of about 50 yards. My last burst 
went directly into him while he v/as in a vertical bank. He went 
into a vertical side-slip, and I pulled out on account of other E.A. 
being close on to my tail. At this time I was at about 1000 feet. 
Within a few minutes I saw a Fokker at his back right under me, 
on the ground at 57C.E.27 b.i-i. 

(Sgd.) W. T. Clements. 
I E.A. destroyed: "America." 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

R.A.F. Communique, ist Lieut. U.S.A. S., 

No. 26, Sept. 24, 191 8. Commanding 17th Squadron. 

46 

Pilot: Lieut. J. F. Campbell flying Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. 

Date: September 24, 1918. 

Time: 10:40 a. m. 

Locality: 57C.K.27. 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Height: 6000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane driven down out of control. 

While on offensive patrol, at 13000 feet, about 10:40 a. m. I saw 
eight Fokkers diving, apparently on our lower flight. We fol- 
lowed, and I got on E.A.'s tail and followed him from about 8000 
feet to 3000 firing about 125 rounds, at an average range of 50 

85 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

yards. My last burst I saw go directly into cockpit. He turned 
over on his back and went down in a slow flat spin still on his 
back. More E.A. prevented me from seeing him crash. This 
was practially over Havrincourt village (57C.K.27). 

(Sgd.) J. F. Campbell. 

I saw the E.A. crashed by Lieut. J. F. Campbell, at 3 :5o p. m. 
at 57C.K.27. 

Confirmed: (Sgd.) H. C. Knotts. 

Letter 13 WP. 54, (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

October 12, 1918. ist Lieut. U. S. A. S., 

CO. 13th Wing, R.A.F. Commanding 17th Squadron. 

47 

Pilot: Lieut. W. W. Goodnow flying Sopwith Camel, C. 8352. 

Date: September 24, 1918. 

Time: 10:45 a. m. 

Locality: N.W. of Havrincourt, 

Duty: Ofl^ensive Patrol. 

Height : 7000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane driven down. 

While on off"ensive patrol, I fired 50 rounds at 7000 feet, at 50 
yards, head on at a Fokker biplane that was diving on Lieut. 
Donoho's machine. Result not observed on account of general 

engagement. 

(Sgd.) W. W. Goodnow. 

(Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

1st Lieut. U. S. A. S., 

Commanding 17th Squadron. 

48 

Pilot: Lieut. G. A. Vaughn flying Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. 
Date: September 24, 1918. 
Time: 10:45-10:55 a. M. 
Locality: 57c. P-Q. 
Duty: Off'ensive Patrol. 
Height : 4000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane driven down. 

86 



COMBAT REPORTS 

I saw a Fokker chasing a Camel and shot a couple of bursts of 
lOO rounds at him, at 4000 feet, at 50 yards range from the side. 
He spun down. Was attacked from behind, turned and fired 50 
rounds, at 75 yards, at second E.A. who half rolled and dived 
east. I chased him, but he out-dived me. 

(Sgd.) Lieut. G. A. Vaughn. 
(Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 
1st. Lieut. U. S. A. S., 
Commanding 17th Squadron. 



49 

Pilot: Lieut. H. Burdick flying Sopwith Camel, F. 2141. 

Date: September 24, 1918. 

Time: 10:50 a. m. 

LocaHty: N.W. of Havrincourt (57C.J.23). 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Height: 5000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane destroyed. 

While on O.P., I saw a Fokker biplane dive at Lieut. Dixon 
at 5000 feet, N.W. of Havrincourt Wood, at 10:50 a. m. Lieut. 
Dixon half rolled and Fokker pulled up and half rolled. I half 
rolled and fired a burst of 100 rounds into him, at 25 yards range, 
from directly behind. He turned on his back and continued to 
spin on his back down over 57c. J. 23. 

(Sgd.) H. Burdick. 

At 10:55 A- M- I saw a Fokker lying on its back at 57C.J.23. 

(Sgd.) John A. Myers. 

I E.A. destroyed: "America." 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

R.A.F. Communique, ist Lieut. U. S. A. S., 

No. 26, Sept. 24, 1918. Commanding 17th Squadron. 



87 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

50 

Pilot: Lieut. J. F. Donoho flying Sopwith Camel, C. 3351. 

Date: September 24, 1918. 

Time: 10:45 a. m. 

Locality: 57c. J and P. 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Height: 7000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane driven down. 
While on offensive patrol I engaged a Fokker head on, at 7000 

feet, at 10:45, faring a burst of 25 rounds into him, at 15 yards 

range. No results observed an account of many Fokkers diving 

down and firing all around me. (Sgd.) John F. Donoho. 

(Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 
1st Lieut. U. S. A. S., 
Commanding 17th Squadron. 

51 

Pilot: Lieut. A. J. Schneider flying Sopwith Camel, F. 6024. 

Date: September 24, 1918. 

Time: 10:50 a. m. 

Locality: Over Havrincourt Wood. 

Duty: Offensive Patrol. 

Height: 5000-500 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane driven down out of control. 

While on O.P., at about 10:50 a. m., over Havrincourt Wood, 
I followed a Fokker biplane down to about 500 feet; got in several 
bursts of about 75 rounds, at about 50 to 75 yards, having got on 
his tail. He turned on his back, righted himself, and turned on 
his back again, falling toward 57c. J. and P. I could not follow 
him to ground because of turning against a Fokker that attacked 
an S. E. 5 that was driving another Fokker down. S.E. landed 
west of Havrincourt Wood (57C.P.3.) and turned over on his back. 
This was about 10:55 a. m. (Sgd.) Albert J. Schneider. 

(Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 
1st Lieut. U. S. A. S., 
Commanding 17th Squadron. 



COMBAT REPORTS 

52 

Pilot: Lieut. J. F. Campbell flying Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. 

Date: September 27, 1918. 

Time: 5:35 P. M. 

Locality: 57b.C.i5. 

Duty: Offensive and Bombing Patrol. 

Height : 50CX) to 25CX) feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane driven down but of control. 
While on O.P., at 5:35 P. m., at about 5000 feet, I saw an E.A. 

under clouds. I dived on him and followed him down to about 

2500 feet, firing about 50 rounds; closest range about 75 yards. 

E.A. half rolled and w^ent down in a slow spin; did not follow him 

any lower as a large formation of E.A. was above us, coming 

down. 

(Sgd.) J. F. Campbell. 
I saw the Fokker biplane attacked by Lieut. Campbell in a 

slow spin about 100 feet from the ground at 57b.C.i5. My 

attention was drawn away by E.A. coming down from above so 

did not see him crash. 

(Sgd.) C. W. France. 
(Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 
1st Lieut. U. S. A. S., 
Commanding 17th Squadron. 

53 

Pilot: Lieut. H. Burdick flying Sopwith Camel, F. 2141. 

Date: September 28, 1918. 

Time: (i) 5:45 p. m. (2) 6:10 p. m. 

Locality: (i) 5ia.T.7.d. (2) 5ib.X.i2.d. 

Duty: Offensive and Bombing Patrol. 

Height: (i) 3000 feet (2) 500 feet. 

Result: 2 Fokkers destroyed. 

While on offensive and bombing patrol, about 5:45 P. m., at 
3000 feet, I went down on an E.A. two-seater (L.V.G.), from in 
front of him, and was attacked by two Fokkers. I manoeuvred, 
got on their tails, shot about 100 rounds into one, range about 

89 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

25 yards. He burst into flames at about 1500 feet (5ia.T,7.d.). 

Fired about 50 rounds into other Fokker with no apparent result. 

Left him going east and returned to lines. 

Saw three Fokkers diving on Lieut. Wicks, at 6:10 p. m., about 

500 feet. I fired about 25 rounds from long range; one E.A. left 

going east; I closed in and half rolled on to tail of one, with red 

nose, white tail, which was diving on Lieut. Wicks. Fired about 

50 rounds, at 50 yards. He dove straight into ground, at 

5ib.X.i2.d. 

(Sgd.) Howard Burdick. 

I saw a Fokker biplane, with red nose and white tail, lying on 
his back on ground, at 51b. X. 12. 

(Sgd.) H. P. Alderman. 

I saw a Fokker, with red nose and white tail, on his back at 
5ib.X.i2. 

(Sgd.) Frank A. Dixon. 
2 E.A. destroyed: "America." 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

R.A.F. Communique, ist Lieut. U. S. A. S., 

No. 26, Sept. 26, 1918. Commanding 17th Squadron. 



54 

Pilot: Lieut. G. A. Vaughn flying Sopwith Camel, H. 828. 

Date: September 28, 1918. 

Time: 5:45 P. m. 

Locality: 5ia.T.7. 

Duty: Off'ensive and Bombing Patrol. 

Height: 3000 feet. 

Result: I L.V.G. two-seater destroyed. 

While on off'ensive and bombing patrol 5:40-5:45 p. m., dived 
on an L.V.G. two-seater, firing a number of good bursts from 
less than 50 yards from behind, following him down, from 3000 
to 100 feet, over 5ia.M.34. I saw him last diving vertical 
into ground, at which moment I was attacked by seven Fokkers. 

(Sgd.) G.A.Vaughn. 
90 



COMBAT REPORTS 

I saw Lieut Vaughn, at 5 :40-5 145 p. m., follow this E.A. down to 
less than 50 feet, at which height the two:seater was diving di- 
rectly into ground. Could not see him crash being attacked by 
two Fokkers. 

(Sgd.) Howard Burdick. 

I saw this two-seater diving into ground, at less than 50 feet, 
when the formation was attacked by Fokkers. 

(Sgd.) Frank A. Dixon. 

This L.V.G. two-seater was diving directly into ground, under 
50 feet, when I last saw him, at about 5:45 p. m., when I was 
attacked by Fokkers and broke the leading edge of my lower right- 
hand plane on upper branches of a tree. 

(Sgd.) Glenn D. Wicks. 
I two-seater E.A. (L.V.G.) 
destroyed: "America." 
Confirmed : Letter 13 WP. 54, (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 
October 12, 1918, ist Lieut. U. S. A. S., 

CO. 13th Wing, R.A.F. Commanding 17th Squadron. 



55 

Pilot: Lieut. F. A. Dixon flying Sopwith Camel, F. 6183. 

Date: September 28, 1918. 

Time: 5:45 P. M. 

Locality: 5ib.X.i2. 

Duty: Offensive and Bombing Patrol. 

Height: 3000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane driven down. 

While on offensive and bombing patrol, at 5:45 P. M., seven 

Fokkers came down at our formation. As I was above our forma- 
tion, one came at me. I pulled up and fired 30 rounds and dove. 

Fokker did not follow, stopped firing and turned east, 

(Sgd.) Frank A. Dixon. 
(Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 
1st Lieut. U. S. A. S., 
Commanding 17th Squadron. 

91 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

56 

Pilots: Lieut. G. A. Vaughn flying Sopwith Camel, H. 828. 

Lieut. H. Burdick flying Sopwith Camel, F. 2141. 
Date: October 2, 191 8. 
Time: 9:10 a. m. 

Locality: East of Awoingt (57b. B. 23.). 
Duty: Ofi^ensive and Bombing Patrol. 
Height: 3500 feet. 
Result: I D.F.W. two-seater destroyed. 

While on O.P., immediately after dropping bombs on Awoingt, 
saw 2 two-seaters, at 3500 feet, at 9:10 a. m., just E. of Awoingt. 
Fired at them and they dived east. Lieut. Burdick and I fol- 
lowed one D.F.W., with orange fuselage and camouflaged wings, 
and shot him down attacking first from the front. I got in 150 
rounds from 75 yards. He went down in half-dive, half-spin, 
and crashed into the ground at 57b. B. 23. 

(Sgd.) G. A. Vaughn. 

While on O.P., we dropped bombs from 3000 feet, on Awoingt, 
at 9:10 A. M., and immediately saw 2 two-seaters slightly above 
us just to east of Awoingt. Lieut. Vaughn and I engaged one of 
them, a D.F.W., and shot him down, firing about 150 rounds from 
75 yards or under. He crashed into the ground at 57b. B. 23. 

(Sgd). Howard Burdick. 

I saw this D.F.W., shot down by Lieuts. Vaughn and Burdick, 
crash at 57b. B. 23. 

(Sgd.) G. D. Wicks. 

Lieuts. Vaughn and Burdick attacked a D.F.W. just east of 
Awoingt and shot him down. I saw him crash at 57b. B. 23., a 
few minutes after 9:10 a. m. 

(Sgd.) Frank A. Dixon. 
I E. A. destroyed: "America." 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

R.A.F. Communique, ist Lieut. U. S. A. S., 

No. 27, October 2, 191 8. Commanding 17th Squadron. 



92 



COMBAT REPORTS 

57 

Pilots: Lieut. G. A. Vaughn flying Sopwith Camel, H. 828. 

Lieut. H. Burdick flying Sopwith Camel, H. 830. 
Date: October 14, 1918. 
Time: 7:10 a. m. 

Locality: E. of Bazuel (57a.M.22.). 
Duty: Special Bombing Raid. 
Height: 1500 feet. 
Result: i Halberstadt two-seater destroyed. 

While on special bombing raid, on October 14th, at 7:10 a. m., 
saw 2 two-seaters just east of Bazuel (57a.R.8) at 1500 feet 
a Halberstadt and an L.V.G., which, after dropping our bombs 
on Bazuel, Lieut. Burdick and I attacked, firing 200 rounds from 
75-100 yards at Halberstadt and sending it down. 

(Sgd.) G. A. Vaughn. 

While on special bombing raid, on October 14, at 7:10 a. m., 
saw 2 two-seaters, at 57a. R. 8., to the east of Bazuel, at 1500 
feet. Lieut. Vaughn and I attacked a Halberstadt. I fired 100 
rounds from 75-100 yards and saw it crash at about 7:12 a. m., at 
57a.M.22.a. L.V.G. got away north. 

(Sgd.) Howard Burdick. 

I E.A. destroyed: "America." 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

R.A.F. Communique, i§t Lieut. U. S. A. S., 

No. 29, October 14, 1918. Commanding 17th Squadron. 

58 

Pilots: Lieut. G. A. Vaughn flying Sopwith Camel, H. 828. 

Lieut. J. A. Myers flying Sopwith Camel, F. 2007. 

Lieut. H. Burdick flying Sopwith Camel, H. 830. 
Date: October 14, 191 8. 
Time: 2:00 p. m. 

Duty: Offensive and Bombing Patrol. 
Height: From 2500 feet to ground. 
Result: i Fokker biplane destroyed. 

93 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

While on low bombing patrol, at 5ia.Q.23, a Fokker biplane 
came in front of formation in a spin. In front of me it flattened 
out and I fired a short burst. E.A. went into spin, flattened out 
near ground and landed. 

(Sgd.) G. A. Vaughn. 

I fired one burst into E.A., as above. 

(Sgd.) J. A. Myers. 

While on off'ensive and low bombing patrol, at 2:00 p. M. near 
Hausey (northeast), saw a Fokker spinning down among our 
formation. I fired about 50 rounds from 25 yards at him and 
followed him down. E.A. landed successfully at 5ia.Q.25. 
Pilot got out and started to run across field. I dove on him and 
fired at him from about 5 or 10 feet from ground and very close. 
He fell in the field about 100 yards from the machine (west) and 
was lying there when I left. I fired my remaining ammunition 
at the Fokker trying to set it on fire. 

(Sgd.) Howard Burdick. 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) Samuel B. Eckert, 

G.H.Q., R.A.F., 1st Lieut., U. S. A. S., 

October 14, 1918. Commanding 17th Squadron. 



59 

Pilot: Lieut. H. Burdick flying Sopwith Camel, H. 830. 

Date: October 25, 191 8. 

Time: 10:55 a. m. 

Duty: Off'ensive Patrol. 

Locality: Near Mormal Forest. 

Height: 7000 feet. 

Result: i Fokker biplane in flames. 

While on O.P., I left formation at 10:50 a. m., and attacked 
leading E.A. of a formation of five Fokker biplanes at 7000 feet 
that were going N.W., somewhere near Mormal Forest (impossible 
to see the ground). I fired about 40 rounds at 75 yards, diving 
on him from the front and immediately pulled up in a climbing 

94 



COMBAT REPORTS 

turn and went west to rejoin my formation. I saw the Fokker 
fall out of control, start to spin, and burst into flames after he 
had spun down about looo feet. 

(Sgd.) Howard Burdick. 

I E.A. destroyed: "America." 
Confirmed: (Sgd.) Weston W. Goodnow. 

G.H.Q., R. A. F., 1st Lieut. U. S. A. S., 

October 25, 1918. Commanding 17th Squadron. 



95 



CHAPTER VI 

Report of Low Bombing and Machine Gun 
Attack on Varssenaere Aerodrome 

Dawn: August 13, 1918. 

IIEUT. LLOYD A. HAMILTON: Dropped four bombs on 
north hangars from about 200 feet, shot fifty rounds 
-• into the windows of the chateau, made four circuits of 
the field shooting at a row of five Fokkers on the ground with 
engines running up. On first circuit shot first enemy machine 
in this line and saw it burst into flames, on third circuit shot third 
enemy machine in the line and saw it burst into flames. 

Lieut, Robert M. Todd: Dropped four bombs from 250 feet 
on chateau, fired a number of rounds into the chateau and at 
machines and personnel on the ground. Saw northeast hangars 
blazing; saw seven enemy machines burning on the ground. 

Lieut. Albert J. Schneider: Dropped two bombs on hangars 
and two on machine gun emplacements from about 250 feet and 
shot pilot getting into one of the Fokkers lined up on the aero- 
drome. 

Lieut. WilHam H. Shearman : Dropped four bombs from about 
200 feet on buildings, apparently billets, to the east of hangars; 
saw bombs burst and the buildings start to smoke; shot down 
man on his way to machine gun; shot one burst into one of a row 
of four enemy machines on the ground and saw tracers going 
directly into hood of the engine; shot into barracks and on way 
home at the crew of the anti-aircraft gun to the west of the aero- 
drome. 

Lieut. Floyd M. Showalter: Dropped four bombs on hangars 
from about 200 feet; fired 600 rounds into chateau, hangars, and 
anti-aircraft batteries on the way home. 

Lieut. Weston W. Goodnow: Dropped four bombs from about 
200 feet on machine shops which were afterwards seen to be 

97 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

burning; shot into a row of machines on the ground, two were al- 
ready burning; smoke came from third afterwards. 

Lieut. George T. Wise: Dropped four bombs from about 200 
feet on machine shops. Three machines were burning on the 
ground; one other beginning to burn. Saw shops on fire; made 
three trips around the aerodrome shooting at enemy machines 
on the ground and into hangars. 

Lieut. Merton L. Campbell: Dropped four bombs into north 
hangars from about 200 feet; machine gunned chateau and enemy 
machines on the ground; machine gunned anti-aircraft batteries 
on the way home. 

Lieut. Lyman E. Case: Dropped four bombs on machine shops 
from about 200 feet; shot 400 rounds into enemy machines on 
ground; saw two Fokkers destroyed by fire and one struck by 
bomb; saw fires on northeast side of aerodrome, 

Lieut. Leonard J. Desson: Dropped four bombs on chateau from 
about 300 feet and fired into windows; was compelled to climb as air 
pressure was dead and had to depend on gravity and hand pump. 

Lieut. Frank A. Dixon: Lost patrol and being unable to locate 
it dropped four bombs on Ostend from 6000 feet. 

Lieut. Rodney D. Williams: Returned at 5:10 a. m. with broken 
connecting rods. 



REPORTS ON LOW BOMBING AND MACHINE GUN ATTACKS ON 
ENEMY INFANTRY AND TRANSPORT 

1 

17th Squadron, U.S.A. No. 1-23, page i. 

No. and type of machines: Date: August 23, 1918. 

Sopwith Camels, F 2157, Locahty: 57c.S.7.b. 
D.659S,F. 5967, B. 9263. 

Lieut. W. D. Tipton. Dropped i bomb at i :io p. m, near sta- 

Sopwith Camel, F. 2157. tionary transport, about 12 lorries on 

road between Bazentin-le-Petit and 
Martinpuich; fired about 600 rounds at 
transport at about 200 feet. 
98 



BOMBING REPORTS 



Lieut, R. D. Williams. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 6595. 



Lieut. F. A. Dixon. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5967. 

Lieut. G. D. Wicks. 
Sopwith Camel, B. 9263. 



Dropped 3 bombs on same road. 
Dropped bomb near and fired about 
400 rounds into gun pit, at about 57c. 
S.7.b., at about 200 feet. 

3 bombs near transport between Ba- 
zentin-le-Petit and Martinpuich; fired 
about 200 rounds into same transport. 

Dropped 4 bombs on transport of about 
25 horse and motor vehicles moving 
towards lines on road between Bazen- 
tin-le-Petit and Flers. Fired about 
400 rounds; saw drivers and horses scat- 
tering in the fields. 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. No. 2-23, page i. 

No. and type of machines: Date: August 23, 1918. 

Sopwith Camels, D. 1940, Locality: Martinpuich — Le Barque 
D. 9399, D. 6513, B. 5428. and Courcellette — Bapaume roads. 



Lieut. L. A. Hamilton. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 1940. 



Lieut. J. F. Campbell. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 6513. 
Lieut. A. J. Schneider. 
Sopwith Camel, B. 5428. 



At 2 p. M. dropped 4 bombs on long 
transport, probably 25 to 30 horse- 
drawn vehicles, on Martinpuich — Le 
Barque Road, 57C.M. 28 and 27. Shot 
about 600 rounds into them. Saw at 
least two direct hits and at least two ve- 
hicles destroyed and many dead horses, 
others scattering. Transport going 
toward Bapaume. 

At 2 p. M. dropped 4 bombs as above 
and shot 600 rounds into transport. 
At 2 p. M. dropped 4 bombs on trans- 
port Courcellette — Bapaume Road, fir- 
ing about 600 rounds. 

99 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 



Lieut. R. M. Todd. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 9399. 



At 2 p. M. dropped 4 bombs on balloon 
on ground at 57c. N. 31. Shot at trans- 
port on Martinpuich — Le Barque Road 
and machine gunned driver running to 
ditch and killed him. Attacked ma- 
chine gun emplacement on same road, 
killing both gunners and putting ma- 
chine gun out of action. Flying at 50 
to 100 feet, saw many dead horses. 



Remarks. 

Saw many enemy troops proceeding toward Bapaume in side 
roads. Le Transloy — Bapaume and Flers — Ligny-Thilloy roads 
and Albert — Bapaume road very little traffic. 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No, and type of machines: 
Sopwith Camels, B. 7407, 
C. 8337, F. 1964, F. 2164. 



No. 3-23, page I. 
Date: August 23, 1918. 
Locality: Bapaume road 
through Le Transloy. 



Lieut. W. W. Goodnow. Time: 5:50 p. m. Dropped 4-20 lb. 

Sopwith Camel, B. 7407. bombs on 8 lorries halted at meeting 

of 4 roads at 57C.N.24. Saw hits, and 
bombs of rest of flight drop in and about 
transport and personnel. Fired 500 
rounds from about 1000 feet at trans- 
port and personnel. 



Lieut. F. M. Showalter. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 1964. 



Time: 5:50 p. m. Dropped 3-20 lb. 
bombs from 1000 feet in and about 
transport at same spot as above. Saw 
bombs drop beside road and in ditches, 
fired at transport and personnel. Fired 
a number of rounds at a balloon on 
ground at 57C.N.24.C. 
100 



BOMBING REPORTS 



Lieut. G. T. Wise. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2164. 



Time: 5:50 p. m. Dropped 3-20 lb. 
bombs on same transport as above and 
one bomb on hut, at 57C.N.30.C., which 
was seen to burn. Dived on about a 
half a company of infantry on side-road 
near by, scattering them. Then at- 
tacked a machine gun emplacement by 
Eaucourt, firing about 200 rounds. 

Lieut. R. W. Snoke. Time: 5:50 p. m. Dropped 4-20 lb. 

Sopwith Camel, C. 8337. bombs on five lorries at cross-roads, 

57C.N.25.C. Saw one bomb drop be- 
tween two lorries. Guns jammed; 
flew away; cleared guns; came back 
and machine gunned four lorries re- 
maining, firing about 500 rounds. 

Remarks. 

On account of severe machine gun fire from the ground and 
smoke and dusk from bombs bursting, could not observe amount 
of damage done but would consider it quite extensive as these 
hits on transports were all practically direct. 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines; 
Sopwith Camels, F. 2157, 
D. 6595> F. 5967, B. 9263. 

Lieut. W. D. Tipton. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2157. 



No. 4-23, page I. 
Date: August 23, 1918. 
Locality: S.W. of Bapaume. 



Time: 6:45 P. m. Dropped 4-20 lb. 
bombs from 500 feet on 6 lorries on 
road S.W. of Bapaume, 57C.M.31 and 
32. Saw bombs burst among trans- 
port and I lorry blown over on side. 
14 Fokkers above Bapaume uniting 
to come down. 



lOI 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 



Lieut. R. D. Williams. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 6595. 



Landed at aerodrome at No. 3 Squad- 
ron, R.A.F. Wounded in back by bul- 
let through petrol tank ; came all the way 
back with finger in hole of petrol tank. 
Was seen by Lieut. Tipton shooting at 
transport from 100 feet; apparently 
dropped bombs at same spot. 

Had forced landing near Auxi-le- 
Chateau just after taking off. Crashed; 
pilot unhurt (engine trouble). 

Time: 6:45 P. M. Dropped 4-20 lb. 
bombs on same transport; fired 200 
rounds from 1000 feet. Saw Lieut. 
Tipton's and some of Lieut. Williams' 
drop in and about the lorries. Saw 
Lieut. Tipton's bomb overturn a lorry. 

Remarks. 

Practically all bombs were direct hits on this transport; one 
lorry was destroyed and others apparently damaged; much con- 
fusion was noticed among personnel. Very little troop move- 
ment noticed; all transport moving N.E. Lieut. WiUiams in 
C.C.S., Gezaincourt. 



Lieut. G. D. Wicks. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5967. 

Lieut. F. A. Dixon. 
Sopwith Camel, B. 9263. 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines: 
Sopwith Camels, D. 1940, 
D. 6513, C. 141, D. 8337, 
F. 5985. 



No. ia-24, page I. 
Date: August 24, 19 il 



Lieut. L. A. Hamilton. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 1940. 
Time: 2:10 p. m. 
Height: 1000 feet. 
Rounds fired: unknown. 
Bombs dropped 4-20 lb. 



Bombs on hut and transport at 57c. 
L20. With Lieut. Campbell destroyed 
a balloon at 57C.L34. 
Did not return; last seen out of control 
by Lieut. Campbell. 



102 



BOMBING REPORTS 



Lieut. J. F. Campbell. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 6513. 
Time: 2:10 p. m. 
Height: 1000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 200. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. H. B. Frost. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 141. 
Time: 2:25 p. m. 
Height: 1500 feet. 
Rounds fired: 200. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. A. J. Schneider. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 6513. 
Time: 3:00 p. m. 
Height: 1500 feet. 
Rounds fired: unknown. 
Bombs dropped 



Dropped 4 bombs on same hut as 
above. Fired with Lieut. Hamilton 
on balloon. Saw it burst into flames 
and go down. 



Bombs on transport at fork by town 
of Queant (57c.d.28) going east — 
about 40 lorries densely packed. 
Bombs fell among lorries. Saw E.A. 
on ground, 5ib.S.23.b. 



Bombs dropped between railroad and 
road at Vaulx Vraucourt. Got one di- 
rect hit and saw another burst near 
train apparently loading or unloading. 
Saw about a battalion of infantry and 
4-20 lb. what appeared to be two tanks S.W. of 
Bapaume. 



Lieut. R. W. Snoke. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8337. 
Time: 3:20 p. m. 
Height: 1000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 400. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



Lieut. G. T. Wise. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 
Time: 3:20 p. m. 



Bombs dropped on guns going west at 
57C.C.18. Shot at small body of troops 
accompanying guns. Men scattered. 
Shot at one balloon on ground and one 
off ground, 57c. B. 24. Could not see 
effect. 

Not returned from patrol at 5:25 p. m. 



5985- 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines: 
Sopwith Camels, F. 1964, 
B. 7407. 



103 



No. ia-24. 

Date: August 24, 1918. 
Locality: Bapaume-Cam- 
brai Road, 57c. H. 30. 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

Lieut. W. W. Goodnow. Dropped 4 bombs on isolated trans- 

Sopwith Camel, B. 7407. port, Bapaume — Cambrai Road, 57c.- 

Time: 3:15 p. m. H.30. Dropped beside it. Fired 200 

Height: 1000 feet. rounds on balloon on ground at 570.- 

Rounds fired: 200. H.22. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 



Lieut. F. M. Showalter. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 1964. 
Time: 3:15 p. m. 
Height: 1000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 300. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



Dropped 4 bombs on same transport. 
Did not see effect. Fired 300 rounds 
into transport after most of it had 
stopped. 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines: 
Sopwith Camels, C. 8337, 
F. 1964. 



No. 2a-24. 

Date: August 24, 191! 

Locality: 57C.N.30. 



Lieut. R. W. Snoke. 4 bombs on cross road; one burst near 

Sopwith Camel, C. 83 37^. transport and one among transport. 



Time: 6:30 p. m. 
Height: 1000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 500. 
Bombs dropped, 4-20 lb. 



Lieut. F. M. Showalter. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 1964. 
Time: 6:30 p. m. 
Height: 1000 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 



Other two unseen. Saw transport 
and troops on road to the south. Fired 
300 rounds from 800 feet at them. 
They scattered and saw many fall. 
Horses on road to the north. Shot 
150 rounds into them. Transport 
moving east greatly congested, both 
horse and lorry. 

Dropped bombs on horse and motor 
transport going east and southeast 
near Le Transloy. 



104 



BOMBING REPORTS 
8 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines: 
Sopwith Camels, F. 2157, 
F. 1950. 



No. 2a-24, page i. 
Date: August 24, 191 8. 
Locality: Bancourt — Haplin- 
court and Bapaume — Cam- 
brai roads. 



Lieut. W. D. Tipton. 

Sopwith Camel, F. 2157. 
Time: 7:10 p. m. 
Height: 1200 feet. 
Rounds fired: 500. 



Fifty lorries in groups of 6 to 12 moving 
southeast between Bancourt and Hap- 
lincourt. Dropped i bomb on a line 
of 12. Four stopped apparently hit 
and others went around. All traffic 



Bombs dropped, 1-20 lb. moving east and southeast. 



Lieut. G. D. Wicks. 



Saw bombs burst among same trans- 



Sopwith Camel, F. 1950. port as above. Three big guns moving 



Time: 7:10 P. M. 
Height: 1200. 
Rounds fired: 400. 
Bombs dropped: i- 



-20 lb. 



toward Cambrai at 7:20 p. m., ref: 
57C.J.8 and 9. Many lorries on Ba- 
paume and Cambrai road. Dived on 
some of these firing about 200 rounds. 
Fired 200 rounds at the guns. 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines ; 
Sopwith Camels, F. 2164, 
B. 9263. 



No. 2a-24. 

Date: August 24, 191 8. 

Locality: Vaulx-Vraucourt. 



Lieut. R. M. Todd. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2164. 
Time : 7 :45 P. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 300. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



Dropped bombs on town of Vaulx 
Vraucourt. Seven Fokkers, two two- 
seaters above. Returned home at icxx) 
feet. 



10? 



Lieut. F. A. Dixon. 
Sopwith Camel, B. 9263 
Time: 7:45 p. m. 
Height: 1500 feet. 
Rounds fired: 200. 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

Dropped 2 bombs at 570.28. b. and 2 
at 57c.26.b. on transport on road, mov- 
ing east. Fired 200 rounds at trans- 
port. Saw 7 Fokkers overhead. Saw 
Camel marked "24" before national 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. marking, "N" behind, fire bursts at 

57c.36.b. and saw burst on ground and 
fire — evidently result of Camel's fire. 

Remarks. 

Very little enemy aerial activity marked early part of the day. 
Considerable, however, in the afternoon. Traffic on roads quite 
congested and all moving east and southeast. 



10 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machine: 
Sopwith Camel, B. 7896. 



Date: September 24, 191 8. 
Locality: Bapaume — Cam- 
brai road. 



Lieut. H. C. Knotts. Saw 500 troops and two lorries on 

Sopwith Camel, B. 7896. Bapaume — Cambrai road, coming west 



Time: 3:50 p. m. 
Height: 800-900 feet. 
Rounds fired: 100. 
Bombs dropped: nil. 



at 3:50. Went down to 800-900 feet, 
fired at them, hit ammunition dump, 
by the side of road (57c.E.29.a.) which 
exploded. This explosion was seen 
from A.L.G. by a ground officer of 59 
Squadron; also seen by Lieut. Springs, 
148th Squadron, U.S.A. 



11 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines: 
Sopwith Camels, H. 828, 
H. 7272, F. 5967, F. 2141, 
F.6i38,C.8352, C. 3351, 
F. 2142, F. 5993, F. 2146, 
D. 3396, D. 9423, F. 6024, 
C. 8337- 



No. 3a-27-s. 

Date: September 27, 1918. 

Locality: 57c. F. 13-14-15. 



106 



BOMBING REPORTS 

Lieut. G. A. Vaughn. Dropped bombs on Fontaine-Notre- 

Sopwith Camel, H. 828. Dame. 

Time: 10:45 a. m. 

Height: 2500 feet. 

Rounds fired : nil. 

Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 



Lieut. L. J. Desson. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 7272. 
Time: 10:45 a. m. 
Height: 2500 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. G. D. Wicks. Dropped bombs near Bourlon Wood. 

Sopwith Camel, F. 5967. 

Time: 10:45 a. m. 

Height: 2500 feet. 

Rounds fired : nil. 

Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. H. Burdick. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2 141. 
Time: 10:45 a. m. 
Height : 2500 feet. 
Rounds fired : nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



Lieut. F. A. Dixon. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6138. 
Time: 10:45 a. m. 
Height: 2500 feet. 
Rounds fired, nil. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 

107 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

Lieut. W. W. Goodnow. Dropped bombs near Bourlon Wood. 

Sopwith Camel, C. 8352. 

Time: 10:45 A. M. 

Height: 2500 feet. 

Rounds fired: nil. 

Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. J. F. Donoho. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 3351. 
Time: 10:45 A. M. 
Height: 2500 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. W. L. France. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2142. 
Time: 10:45 a. m. 
Height: 2500 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. W. T. Clements. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5993. 
Time: 10:45 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. J. F. Campbell. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. 
Time: 10:45 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped: 2-20 lb. 

108 



BOMBING REPORTS 



Lieut. M. C. Giesecke. Dropped bombs near Bapaume — Cam- 

Sopwith Camel, D. 3396. brai road. 

Time: 11:00 a. m. 

Height: 3000 feet. 

Rounds fired : nil. 

Bombs dropped: 2-20 lb. 



Major H. L. Fowler. Dropped bombs on main road 

Sopwith Camel, D. 9423. west of Fontaine-Notre-Dame, 
Time: 10:45 a. m. 
Height: 2500 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped: 2-20 lb. 



just 



Lieut. A. J. Schneider. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6024. 
Time: 10:45 a. m. 
Height: 2500 feet. 
Rounds fired : nil. 
Bombs dropped: 2-20 lb. 

Lieut. J. A. Myers. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8337. 
Time: 10:45 a. m. 
Height: 2500 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped: 1-20 lb. 



Dropped bombs near Bourlon Wood. 



Dropped bomb near Bourlon Wood. 



12 



17th Squadron, U. S. A. 
No. and type of machines : 
Sopwith Camels, F. 5993, 
F. 2146, F. 6024, D. 3396, 
H. 828, F. 5967, F. 2141, 
F. 6138, F. 6194, F. 2164, 
C. 8397, F. 6211, C. 3351, 
H. 7272. 



No. 4a-27-s. 

Date: September 27, 1918. 
Locality: Canal de I'Escaut 
at Marcoing. 



109 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

Lieut. W. W. Goodnow. Dropped bombs on troops on approach 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2164. to bridge over Canal de I'Escaut at 
Time: 4:30 P. M. Marcoing. 

Height: 2500 feet. 
Rounds fired : nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. J. A. Myers. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8337. , 

Lieut. F. M. Showalter. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 621 1. 

Lieut. J. F. Donoho. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 3351. 

Lieut. L. J. Desson. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 7272. 

Lieut. G. A. Vaughn. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 828. 

Lieut. G. D. Wicks. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5967. 

Lieut. H. Burdick. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2141. 

Lieut. F. A. Dixon. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6138. 

Lieut. C. W. France. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6194. 

Lieut. W. T. Clements. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5993. 

Lieut. J. F. Campbell. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. 

Lieut. A. J. Schneider, 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6024. 

Lieut. M. C. Giesecke. 
Sopwith Camel, B. 3396. 

no 



BOMBING REPORTS 
13 



17th Squadron, U. S. A. 
No. and type of machines: 
Sopwith Camels, F. 6024, 
H. 828, F. 2141, F. 6249. 

Lieut. A. J. Schneider. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6024. 
Time : 5 :oo to 8 150 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired : 400. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 



No. 53-28-3. 

Date: September 28, 1918. 

Locality : Naves and Cambrai. 



Dropped bombs on Naves, 57a.T.23. 
Fired 200 rounds on Naves and 200 
rounds on lorries in main square, Cam- 
brai, from 3000 feet, at 8:00 a. m. 
One enemy balloon, east of Cambrai, 
about 500 feet high. 



Lieut. G. A. Vaughn. Four bombs on Faubourg de Paris. 

Sopwith Camel, H. 828. 

Time: 6:40 a. m. 

Height : 3000 feet. 

Rounds fired: nil. 

Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. H. Burdick. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2 141. 
Time : 5 :oo-5 :30 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. E. D. White. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6249. 
Time : 5 :oo-5 :30 a. m. 
Height : 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped: 1-20 lb. 



Ill 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 



14 



No. 5b-28-s. 

Date: September 28, 191! 

Locality: Rumilly. 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines : 
Sopwith Camels, C. 8352, 
F. 2142, F. 621 1, H. 7272, 
H. 828, F. 5967, F. 2141, 
F. 6138, F. 6249, F. 2164, 
F. 5993, F. 2146, H. 7281, 
F. 6024, D. 3396. 



Lieut. W. W. Goodnow. Four bombs on balloon. No effects 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8352. observed. Railway bridge, at 57b. 
Time: 4:55 p. M. A.9-b, seen to burst into white smoke 

Height: 2000 feet. on the Cambrai end, at 5:10 p. m. 

Rounds fired : nil. 



Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. J. F. Donoho. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 621 1. 
Time: 5:10 p. m. 
Height: 3500-800 feet. 
Rounds fired: 150. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. W. T. Clements. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5993. 
Time: 5:10-5:15 p. m. 
Height : 3000-2000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 300. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. J. A. Myers. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2164. 
Time: 5:10-5:15 p. M. 
Height: 3000-2000 feet. 
Rounds fired : 300. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



Dropped two bombs on balloon from 
3500 feet, at 4:55 P. M., 57b.G.i8. 
Two bombs on Awoingt from 2500 feet, 
at 5:10 p. M. Fired 150 rounds at rail- 
way station, 57b. B. 20, at 5:10, from 
800 feet. Train passing came to a stop. 

Four bombs on Awoingt from 3000 feet, 
at 5:10 P.M. Fired 300 rounds on road 
S.E. of Cambrai, from 2000 feet, at 
5:15 p. M. Heavy machine gun and 
AA fire from ground. 



112 



BOMBING REPORTS 



Lieut. J. F. Campbell. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. 
Time: 5:10-5:15 P. m. 
Height: 3000-2000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 250. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



Four bombs on Awoingt from 3000 feet, 
at 5 :io p. M. Fired 300 rounds on road 
S.E. of Cambrai, from 2000 feet, at 
5:15 P. M. Heavy machine gun and 
AA fire from ground. 



Lieut. A. J. Schneider. 
Sopwith Camel, ¥. 6024. 
Time:5:io-5:i5 p. m. 
Height: 3000-2000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 100. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



Lieut. M. C. Giesecke. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 3396. 
Time: 5:10-5:15 P. M. 
Height: 3000-2000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 100. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 



Lieut. H. P. Alderman. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 7281. 
Time: 5:10-5:15 p. m. 
Height: 3000-2000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 500. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 



Lieut. G. D. Wicks. Four bombs on road S.E. of Cambrai. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5967. Fired 300 rounds into moving traific on 
Time: 5:00-5:30 p. m. the Masnieres — Cambrai road, just out- 
Height: 2000-1000 feet, side Cambrai and on other roads in this 
Rounds fired: 300. vicinity. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 

113 



Lieut. F. A. Dixon. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6138 
Time: 5:00-5:30?. m. 
Height: 3000-1000 feet. 
Rounds fired : 300. 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

Four bombs on road S.E. of Cambrai. 
Fired 300 rounds into moving traffic on 
the Masnieres — Cambrai road, just out- 
side Cambrai and on other roads in this 
vicinity. 



Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. G. A. Vaughn. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 828. 
Time: 4:55-5:00 p. m. 
Height: 2500-900 feet. 
Rounds fired: 200. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. H. Burdick. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2 141. 
Time: 4:55-5:00 p. m. 
Height: 2500-900 feet. 
Rounds fired: 100. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 



Four bombs on 57b. H. 19-20. Fired 
200 rounds at Cambrai-Rumilly road, 
at a lorry from 500 feet at 5:00 p. m.; 
also fired into village (Faubourg de 
Paris), filled with troops. 

Four bombs on 57b. H. 19-20, from 
2500 feet at 4:55 P. m. Fired 100 
rounds into Wambaix station and 
into a train in station facing E. from 
2000-900 feet, at 5:00 p. m. 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines: 
Sopwith Camels, C. 8352, 
C. 8337, C. 3351, F. 2142, 



15 



No'. 6a-29-s. 

Date: September 29, 1918. 

Locality: Cambrai. 



Lieut. W. W. Goodnow. Four bombs on Awoingt, 57b . B . 26. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8352. Fire in Cambrai, by island in canal, 
Time: 6:40-7:15 a. m. at 6:40 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired : nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

114 



BOMBING REPORTS 



Lieut. J. A, Myers. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8337. 
Time: 7:15 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 50. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



Four bombs on Awoingt, 57b. B. 26. 
Fifty rounds on Cambrai, at 7:15 a. m. 



Lieut. J. F. Donoho. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 3351. 
Time: 7:15 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



Four bombs on Awoingt, 57b. B. 26. 



Lieut. C. W. France. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2142. 
Time: 6:40-7:15 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



Lieut. F. M. Showalter. Four bombs on 57b. A. 21. Fired 100 



Sopwith Camel, F. 621 1. 
Time: 6:40-7:15 A. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 100. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 



rounds at Cambrai, at 7:15 a. m. from 
about 3000 feet. Saw fire at Bantigny. 
Two large explosions in N.W. part of 
Cambrai, at 8:00 a. m. 



Lieut. L. J. Desson. Four bombs on 3 four-horse transport 

Sopwith Camel, H. 7272. going west, from 3000 feet, at 7:00 a. m. 
M. Fired 150 rounds at train going south 
into Cambrai, at 7:25 a. m. Seven 
Fokkers over Cambrai at 7:55 a. m. — 
too high for us to attack. 

IIS 



Time: 6:40-7:15 a. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 150. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

Lieut. J. F. Campbell. Dropped four bombs at 57a. T. 23, on 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. road and R.R., at 7:10 a. m., from 3000 
Time: 7:15-8:00 A. M. feet. Large fire in western part of 
Height: 3000 feet. Cambrai. Fired 500 rounds on road 

Rounds fired : 500. leading east out of Cambrai. 

Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. H. P. Alderman. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 7281. 
Time: 6:40-7:15 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired : 500. 
Bombs dropped : 4^20 lb. 

Lieut. M. C. Giesecke. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 3396. 
Time: 7:15 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 100. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



16 

17th Squadron, U.S.A. No. 7a-29-s. 

No. and type of machines: Date: September 29, 191 8. 

Sopwith Camels, C. 8352, Locality: Honnecourt, Bantou- 

F. 621 1, C. 8337, F. 5993, zelle, and Vendhuille. 

F. 2164, H. 7281, F. 6024, 

D. 3396, F. 2164, F. 2141, 

F. 6138, F. 6249. 

Lieut. W. W. Goodnow. Dropped four bombs on Honnecourt 

Sopwith Camel, C. 8352. (57b. S. 7b). Fired 300 rounds at same 

Time: 1:30 P. M. town and at Bantouzelle and Vend- 

Height: 3500 feet. huille. Cambrai on fire. 
Rounds fired: 300. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 

116 



BOMBING REPORTS 



Lieut. F. M. Showalter. Dropped four bombs on Honnecourt 

Sopwith Camel, F. 621 1. (57b. S. 7b). Fired 300 rounds at same 

Time: 1:30 p. M. town and at Bantouzelle and Vend- 

Height: 3500 feet. huille. Cambrai on fire. 
Rounds fired: 500. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. J. A. Myers. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8337. 
Time: 1:30 p. m. 
Height: 3500 feet. 
Rounds fired: 500. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. J. F. Campbell. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. 
Time: 1:30 p. m. 
Height: 3500 feet. 
Rounds fired : 400. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



Lieut. M. C. Giesecke. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 3396. 
Time: 1:30 p. m. 
Height: 2000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 100. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



Lieut. A. J. Schneider. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6024. 
Time: 1:35 p. m. 
Height: 2000 feet. 
Rounds fired : 40x3. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 



Dropped four bombs, at 1:30 p. M., 
from 2000 feet on Honnecourt. Fired 
100 rounds into villages (Bantouzelle 
and Vendhuille). Heavy M.G. fire from 
ground. A Camel "N" of 148th 
Sqdn. seen on back at 57C.J.26C or 25d. 
A Camel marked "E" on ground on 
back, on Arras — Doullens road, at 5 ic. R. 
Fire in Cambrai, at 57b.A.i7d — in a 
factory. Visibility, nil. Troop move- 
ment, nil. 

400 rounds on bridges and on Vend- 
huille at working parties and M.G. 
companies, at 1:35 p. m., from 2000 
feet. Dropped four bombs from 2000 
feet on Honnecourt. 

117 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

Lieut. W. T. Clements. Dropped four bombs on Bantouzelle, 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5993. at 1:35 p. m., from 2000 feet. Fired 



Time: 1:35 p. m. 
Height: 2000 feet. 
Rounds fired : 300. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



300 rounds on roads leading out of 
Bantouzelle and on three motor trans- 
ports, in same place, from 1800 feet. 
One enemy balloon, 2500 feet, four 
miles N.E. of Bantouzelle. 



Lieut. E. D. White. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6194. 
Time: 1:35 p. m. 
Height: 2000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 250, 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



Lieut. H. P. Alderman. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 7281. 
Time: 1:35 p. m. 
Height : 2000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 700. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



Many fires in Cambrai. 



Lieut. G. A. Vaughn. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 828. 
Time: 1:35 p. m. 
Height: 2000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 300. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



Dropped four bombs, at 1:35 p. M., 
on canal, just north of Honnecourt 
(57.b.S7b). Fired 100 rounds at a 
balloon which was pulled down. 



Lieut. F. A. Dixon. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6138. 
Time: 1:35 p. m. 
Height : 2000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 200. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



II! 



BOMBING REPORTS 

Lieut. H. Burdick. Dropped four bombs, at 1:35 p. m., 

Sopwith Camel, F. 2141. on canal, just north of Honnecourt 

Time: 1:35 p. M. (sy.b.Syb). Fired 100 rounds at a 

Height: 2000 feet. balloon which was pulled down. 
Rounds fired : 200. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

17 

17th Squadron, U.S.A. No. 8a-i-o. 

No. and types of machines: Date: October i, 1918. 

Sopwith Camels, C. 8352, Locality: Awoingt. 

C. 8337, C. 3351, F. 2142, 

F. 621 1, F. 5993, F. 2146, 

H. 7281, F. 6024, H. 828, 

F. 5967, F. 2 1 41, F. 6249, 

F. 6138, F. 2164. 

Lieut. G. A. Vaughn. Dropped four bombs on Awoingt; burst 

Sopwith Camel, H. 828. observed in town. 

Time: 10:40 a. m. 

Height: 3000 feet. 

Rounds fired : nil. 

Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. G. D. Wicks. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5967. 
Time: 10:40 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. H. Burdick. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2141. 
Time: 10:40 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired : nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

119 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

Lieut. E. D. White. Dropped four bombs on Awoingt ; burst 

Sopwith Camel, F. 6249. observed in town. 

Time: 10:40 a. m. 

Height: 3000 feet. 

Rounds fired: nil. 

Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



Lieut. F. A. Dixon. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6138. 
Time: 10:40 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired : nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. W. W. Goodnow. Dropped four bombs on Awoingt, 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8352. about 10:40 a. m., from 3000 feet. 
Time: 10:40 A. M. Large explosion observed. 

Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 



Lieut. J. A. Myers. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8337. 
Time: 10:40 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired : nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. J. F. Donoho. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 3351. 
Time: 10:40 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

120 



BOMBING REPORTS 



Lieut. C. W. France. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2142. 
Time: 10:40 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired : nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



Dropped four bombs on Awoingt, 
about 10:40 A. M. from 3000 feet. 
Also observed explosions in Awoingt. 



Lieut. F. M. Showalter. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 621 1. 
Time: 10:40 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



Lieut. W. T. Clements. Dropped four bombs on Awoingt, at 

Sopwith Camel, F. 5993. 10:40 a. m., from 3000 feet. 

Time: 10:40 a. m. 

Height: 3000 feet. 

Rounds fired: nil. 

Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



Lieut. J. F. Campbell. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. 
Time: 10:40 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



Lieut. H. P. Alderman. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 7281. 
Time: 10:40 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 



121 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 



Lieut. A. J. Schneider. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6024. 
Time: 10:40 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired : nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. M. C. Giesecke. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6124. 
Time: 10:40 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines: 
Sopwith Camels, H. 828, 
F. 6138, F. 6249, F. 5993, 
F. 2146, D. 3396, F. 6024, 
C. 3852, C. 3351, F. 2142. 

Lieut. W. T. Clements. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5993. 
Time: 5:40 p. m. 
Height : 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. A. J. Schneider. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6024. 

Lieut. G. A. Vaughn. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 828. 

Lieut. W. W. Goodnow. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8252. 



Dropped four bombs on Awoingt, at 
10:40 A. M., from 3000 feet. 



18 



No. 93-1-0. 

Date: October i, 1918. 

Locality : Awoingt. 



Dropped four bombs on Awoingt. 



122 



BOMBING REPORTS 

Lieut. C. W. France. Dropped four bombs on Awoingt. 

Sopwith Camel, F. 2142. 

Lieut. J. F. Campbell. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. 

Lieut. J. P. Alderman. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 3396. 

Lieut. J. F. Donoho. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 3351. 

Lieut. E. D. White. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2649." 

Lieut. F. M. Showalter. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8337. 

Lieut. F. A. Dixon. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6138. 

19 

17th Squadron, U.S.A. No. ioa-2-0. 

No. and type of machines: Date: October 2, 191 8. 

Sopwith Camels, H. 828, Locality: Awoingt. 

F. 5967, F. 2141, F. 6138, 

F. 6249, C. 8337, F. 5993, 

H. 7281, F. 6024, D. 3396, 

C. 8352, F. 2142, F. 621 1, 

C. 3351- 

Lieut. G. A. Vaughn. Dropped four bombs on Awoingt. 

Sopwith Camel, H. 828. 

Time: 9:10 A. m. 

Height: 3500 feet. 

Rounds fired : nil. 

Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

123 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 



Lieut. G. D. Wicks. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5967. 

Lieut. W. W. Goodnow. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8352. 

Lieut. J. A. Myers. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8337. 

Lieut. F. A. Dixon. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6138. 

Lieut. J. F. Campbell. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5993. 
Time: 9:10 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. C. W. France. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 3396. 

Lieut. M. C. Giesecke. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2162. 

Lieut. F. M. Showalter. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 621 1. 

Lieut. J. F. Donoho. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 3351. 

Lieut. E. D. White. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6249. 

Lieut. A. J. Schneider. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6024. 

Lieut. H. R Alderman. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 7281. 

Lieut. H. Burdick. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2141. 



Dropped four bombs on Awoingt. 



Several bursts observed in town. 



124 



BOMBING REPORTS 
20 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines : 
Sopwith Camels, F. 5993, 
H. 7281, D. 3396, F. 621 1, 
F. 2142, C. 3351, C. 8337, 
H. 828, F. 5967, F. 6138, 
F. 6249, F. 2141. 



No. iia-2-o. 
Date: October 2, 1918. 
Locality: Awoingt, Wam- 
baix, and 57b. H. 7. 



Lieut. G. A. Vaughn. Dropped on Awoingt, at 3 :3o p. m. 

Sopwith Camel, H. 828. 

Time: 3:30 P. m. 

Height: 3000 feet. 

Rounds fired: nil. 

Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. G. D. Wicks. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5967. 

Lieut. H. Burdick. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2 141. 

Lieut. J. F. Campbell. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5993. 

Lieut. F. A. Dixon. Dropped one bomb on Awoingt. 

Sopwith Camel, F. 6138. 
Bombs dropped: 1-20 lb. 

Lieut. J. A. Myers. Dropped four bombs on Awoingt. 

Sopwith Camel, C. 8337. 

Lieut. E. D. White. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6249. 

Lieut. J. F. Donoho. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 3351. 

125 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

Lieut. H. P. Alderman. Dropped four bombs on Awoingt. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 7281. Number of bursts observed. 

started. 



Fire 



Lieut. M. C. Giesecke. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 3396. 

Lieut. C. W. France. 

Sopwith Camel, F. 2142. Fired at 3 140 p. m. 150 rounds on several 

lorries on Cambrai — Le Cateau road 

from 1500 feet. 

Lieut. F. M. Showalter. Dropped two bombs on Wambaix, and 
Sopwith Camel, F. 621 1. two bombs on assembled transport on 

road between Wambaix and Cambrai, 
57b. H.7, at 3 140 from 2000 feet. 



21 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines: 
Sopwith Camels, H. 828, 
F. 2141, F. 5967, F. 6163, 
H. 7281, F. 5993, F. 6211, 
C. 3351, C. 8337, D. 3396, 
F. 2146, F. 6194, C. 8352, 
F. 6249. 



No. i2a-2-o. 

Date: October 3, 1918. 

Locality: Caudry. 



Lieut. G. A. Vaughn. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 828. 
Time: 7:35 a. m. 
Height: 5000 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. H. Burdick. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2 141. 



Dropped four bombs on Caudry and on 
R. R. sidings to the south. Several 
bursts observed in town and near the 
lines. 



126 



BOMBING REPORTS 

Lieut. G. D. Wicks. Dropped four bombs on Caudry and on 

Sopwith Camel, F. 5967. R. R. sidings to the south. Several 

bursts observed in town and near the 

lines. 

Lieut. F. A. Dixon. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6163. 

Lieut. H. P. Alderman. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 7281. 

Lieut. C. W. France. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5993. 

Lieut. F. M. Showalter. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6211. 

Lieut. J. F. Donoho. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 3351. 

Lieut. M. C. Giesecke. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 3396. 

Lieut. J. F. Campbell. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. 

Lieut. H. G. Shoemaker. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6194. 

Lieut. W. W. Goodnow. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 3852. 

Lieut. J. A. Myers. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8337. 

Lieut. E. D. White. Dropped three bombs, as above. Lost 

Sopwith Camel, F. 6429. formation. Returned, October 4th, 

having landed at Borest, near Senlis. 
127 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 



22 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines: 
Sopwith Camels, H. 828, 
F. 5967, F. 6211, F. 5993, 
F. 2146, F. 2i4i,H. 7281, 
F.6138, F. 6194, C. 3351, 
0.8352,0.8337,0.3396. 

Lieut. G. A. Vaughn. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 828. 
Time: 3:10 p. m. 
Height: 5000 feet. 
Rounds fired : nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. G. D. Wicks. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5967. 

Lieut. F. M. Showalter. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6211. 



No. i3a-2-o. 

Date: October 3, 1918. 

Locality: Caudry. 



Dropped four bombs on R. R. at 
Caudry. 



Lieut. C. W. France, 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5993. 

Lieut. J. F. Campbell. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. 

Lieut. H. Burdick. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2141. 

Lieut. H. P. Alderman. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 7281. 

Lieut. F. A. Dixon. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6138. 



A.A. battery working at 57b.L29.c.90. 
Another at 57b.L32.c. 

Dropped four bombs at Caudry. Sev- 
eral bursts observed on the R. R. track 
just outside the station. 



Burst observed at 57b. L3 5. a. 37. 

Dropped four bombs on R. R. at 
Caudry. 



Fire observed at Rumilly. 



128 



BOMBING REPORTS 

Lieut. H. G. Shoemaker. Dropped four bombs on R. R. at 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6194. Caudry. 

Fire observed at Rumilly. 
Lieut. J. F. Donoho. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 3351. 

Lieut. W. W. Goodnow. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8352. 

Lieut. M. C. Giesecke. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 3396. 

Lieut. J. A. Myers. 

Sopwith Camel, C. 8337. Two motor transports at 57b.0.9. 



23 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines: 
Sopwith Camels, H. 828, 
F. 6194, F. 5967, F. 6138, 
C. 8352, C. 8337, C. 3351, 
F- S993» F. 621 1, H. 751, 
F. 2146, H. 7281. 

Lieut. G. A. Vaughn. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 828. 
Time: 11:30 a. m. 
Height: 4000 feet. 
Rounds fired : nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. G. D. Wicks. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5967. 

Lieut. F. A. Dixon. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6138. 

Lieut, W. W. Goodnow. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8352. 



No. i4a-4-o. 

Date: October 4, 191 8. 

Locality: Caudry. 



Dropped four bombs on station and 
train pulling out going east. Heavy 
A.A. and machine gun fire from ground. 



129 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

Lieut. J. A. Myers. Dropped four bombs on station and 

Sopwith Camel, C. 8337. train pulling out going east. Heavy 

A.A. and machine gun fire from ground. 
Lieut. F. M. Showalter. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6211. 

Lieut. C. W. France. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2142. 

Lieut. L. J. Desson. " 

Sopwith Camel, H. 751. 

Lieut. J. F. Campbell. " 

Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. 

Lieut. H. P. Alderman. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 7281. 

Lieut. J. F. Donoho. Forced landing at Villeret. 

Sopwith Camel, C. 3351. 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines : 
Sopwith Camels, H. 828, 
F. 2164, F. 2141, F. 6194, 
F. 6138, C. 8352, F. 2142, 
F. 6211, C. 8337, H. 751. 



24 



No. i4a-2-o. 
Date: October 4, 191! 
Locality: Awoingt. 



Lieut. G. A. Vaughn. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 828. 
Time: 5:30?. m. 
Height: 5000 feet. 
Rounds fired : nil. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 



Dropped four bombs on Awoingt. 
Saw several burst in the town. 



130 



BOMBING REPORTS 

Lieut. G. D. Wicks. Dropped four bombs on Awoingt. 

Sopwith Camel, F. 2164. Saw several burst in the town. 

Lieut. H. Burdick. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2141. 

Lieut. H. G. Shoemaker. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6194. 

Lieut. F. A. Dixon. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6138. 

Lieut. W. W. Goodnow. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8352. 

Lieut. C. W. France. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2142. 

Lieut. F. M. Showalter. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 621 1. 

Lieut. J. A. Myers. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8337. 

Lieut. L. J. Desson. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 751. 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines: 
Sopwith Camels, C. 8352, 
F. 621 1, F. 6024, H. 828, 
C. 8337, F. 2142, H. 751, 
F. 2146, H. 7281, D. 3396, 
F. 6194, F. 5967, F. 2141, 
F. 6249, F. 5993. 



25 



No. i5a-2-o. 

Date: October 5, 191 8. 

Locality : Awoingt. 



131 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

Lieut. W. W. Goodnow. Dropped four bombs on Awoingt. 

Sopwith Camel, C. 8352. 

Time : 9 :oo a. m. 

Height: 5000 feet. 

Rounds fired: nil. 

Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. F. M. Showalter. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 621 1. 

Lieut. A. J. Schneider. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6024. 

Lieut. G. A. Vaughn. 

Sopwith Camel, H. 828. One direct hit on railway station lines. 

Lieut. R. W. Snoke. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8337. 

Lieut. C. W. France. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2142. 

Lieut. J. A. Myers. " " " « 

Sopwith Camel, H. 751. 

Lieut. H. G. Shoemaker. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6194. 

Lieut. G. D. Wicks. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5967. 

Lieut. H. Burdick. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2 141. 

Lieut. E. D. White. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6249. 

Lieut. J. F. Campbell. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. 

132 



BOMBING REPORTS 

Lieut. H. P. Alderman. Dropped four bombs on Awoingt. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. 

Lieut. M. C. Giesecke. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 3396. 

Lieut. H. C. Knotts. 

Sopwith Camel, F. 5993. Three hits in village, one on the largest 

Time: 9:00 A. M. building of town, and one on what 

Height: 1000 feet. seemed sheds near railway station. 

Rounds fired : nil. 

Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

26 
17th Squadron, U.S.A. No. i6a-2-o. 

No. and type of machines: Date: October 6, 191 8. 

Sopwith Camels, F. 2146, Locality: Wambaix and 

F. 6024, H. 7281, D. 3396, Esnes. 

F. 5993, H. 828, F. 6249 
(F. 6194 and F. 5967 missing). 

Lieut. J. F. Campbell. Dropped four bombs on Wambaix. 

Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. • 

Time: 4:35 p. m. 

Height: 5000 feet. 

Rounds fired: nil. 

Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. A. J. Schneider. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6024. 

Lieut. H. P. Alderman. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. 

Lieut. M. C. Giesecke. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 3396. 

Lieut. H. C. Knotts. 

Sopwith Camel, F. 5993. Saw at least six direct hits on east side 

of Wambaix. 

133 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 
Lieut. G. A. Vaughn. Four bombs on Esnes. Direct hit seen 



Sopwith Camel, H. 828. 
Time: 4:35 p. m. 
Height : 4000 feet. 
Rounds fired : nil. 



on a dump, just west of town (57b.- 
E.33.d.), which exploded and was 
seen to burn until patrol left, at about 
5:10 P.M. Two other fires started. New 



Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. fires burning in Cambrai. 

Lieut. F. A. Dixon. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6138. 

Lieut. E. D. White. 

Sopwith Camel, F. 6249. One shell seen to burst on R.R., at 

57.C.25, at4:sop. M. 



Lieut. H. G. Shoemaker. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6194. 

Lieut. G. D. Wicks. . 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5967. 



Missing. Collision in air. 



27 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines : 
Sopwith Camels, H. 828, 
F. 2141, F. 6138, F. 6249, 
C.8337, C. 8352, F. 2142, 
F. 621 1, F. 751, F. 2146, 
F. 5993, H. 7281, D. 3396, 
F. 6024. 

Lieut. G. A. Vaughn. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 828. 
Time: 10:45 A- m. 
Height: 5000 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



No. 173-7-0. 

Date: October 7, 1918. 

Locality: Awoingt and 

Cauroir. 



Dropped four bombs 
Numerous hits in town. 



on Awoingt. 



134 



BOMBING REPORTS 

Lieut. H. Burdick. Dropped four bombs on Awoingt. 

Sopwith Camel, F. 2141. 

Lieut. E. D. White. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6249. 

Lieut. L. J. Desson. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 751. 

Lieut. J. F. Campbell. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. 

Lieut. H. C. Knotts. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5993. 

Lieut H. P. Alderman. « 

Sopwith Camel, H. 7281. Fire started by direct hit on large 

building. 

Lieut. M. C. Giesecke. Dropped four bombs as above. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 3396. 

Lieut. J. F. Donoho. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6024. 

Lieut. F. A. Dixon. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6138. 

Lieut. R. W. Snoke. Dropped three bombs on Cauroir at 

Sopwith Camel, C. 8337. 10:45 a. m., from 5000 feet. Dropped 

one bomb on Awoingt at 10:55 a. m., 

from 5000 feet. 

Lieut. J. A. Myers. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8352. 

Lieut. C. W. France. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2142. 



Lieut. F. M. Showalter. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6211. 



13s 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 
28 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines: 
Sop with Camels, F. 5993, 
H. 7281, D. 3328, H. 828, 
F. 2141, H. 751, F. 6138, 
F.6249,F. 2164. C. 3351. 



No. 18-8-0. 

Date: October 8, 1918. 

LocaHty: East of Cambrai. 



Lieut. H. P. Alderman. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 7281 
Time: 12:15 P- m. 
Height: 1500 feet. 
Rounds fired: 550. 



Four bombs on transport going into 
Villers-en-Cauchies also on town. Fired 
250 rounds on road, between Cam- 
brai and Iwuy, at 12:30-12:45 p. m., 
from 150 feet. Fired 300 rounds, from 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 1000 feet, on transport going into town 
• from Cambrai. 



Lieut G. A. Vaughn. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 828. 
Time: 12:15 P- m. 
Height: 900-1000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 500. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



Lieut. H. Burdick. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2 141. 
Time: 12:15 P- m. 
Height: 1500 feet. 
Rounds fired : 700. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. F. A. Dixon. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6138. 



Four bombs on four lorries on road be- 
tween Cagnoncles and Naves. Three 
lorries disappeared. Fired on two 
transports, or guns with canvas covers, 
on road between Cambrai and Naves. 
One horse was seen to fall in road. In- 
fantry, nationality unknown (observed 
from 1000 feet) in sunken road running 
E. and W., at 57b. B. 17, at which I 
did not shoot, because they did not fire. 



136 



BOMBING REPORTS 



Lieut. L. J. Desson. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 751. 
Time: 12:15 p. m. 
Height: 1500 feet. 
Rounds fired: 200. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 



Bombs dropped on same target as 
Lieut. Vaughn. Fired on scattered lor- 
ries and infantry marching south be- 
tween Estourmel and Cattenieres. One 
horse transport seen running away. 
Fired 200 rounds from 1000 feet on 
sunken road, at 57b. H. 11. a. 22. 



Lieut. E. D. White. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6249. 



Four bombs dropped and 300 rounds 
fired on same target as Lieut. Vaughn. 



Lieut. M. C. Giesecke. Four bombs dropped on Awoingt. 150 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2164. rounds fired at factory, 57b.C.25.c 
Time: 12:30 P. m. fired from 1000 feet. 

Height: i5CX)feet. 
Rounds fired: 150. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 



Lieut. H. C. Knotts. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 3328. 
Time: 12:00-12:40 p. m. 
Height : 2000-200 feet. 
Rounds fired : 600. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



At 57b.B.i9.b.55, direct hit with two 
bombs on R.R., from 2000 feet. Small 
motor-driven car on R.R. ran into 
break and turned on its side, it 
was full of men who scattered when I 
fired 100 rounds from 1000 feet. Two 
bombs dropped on Awoingt at 12:40 
p. M., from 1500 feet. One hit started 
fire. 200 rounds fired at a gun being 
pulled by four horses. Ammunition 
ran out. 



Lieut. J. F. Campbell. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5993. 
Time: 12:15-12:40 p. m. 
Height: 2000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 500. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 



Four bombs dropped on two lorries 
on road, at 5ia.T.i5, at 12:40 p. m. 
300 rounds fired on them before drop- 
ping bombs. 200 rounds fired at lorry 
at 5ia.T.io. 

137 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

Lieut J. F. Donoho. Four bombs dropped on R.R., at 

Sopwith Camel, C. 3351. 51b. B. 2, at 12:00, from 2000 feet. 

Time: 12:00-12:30 P. M. 200 rounds fired on two lorries, at 

Height: 1000 feet. syb.C.ii. Lorries disappeared when 

Rounds fired : 400. I zoomed and turned back. Fired 

Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 200 into trenches, at 57b.B.ii. 



No. 19-8-0. 

Date: October 8, 191 8. 



29 

17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines : 
Sopwith Camels, C. 8352, 

C. 3351, F. 6211, F. 2007, 
F. 2146, F. 7281, F. 5993, 

D. 3396, F. 6024, F.6138. 

Lieut. F. M. Showalter. Four bombs dropped on town, from 
Sopwith Camel, F. 621 1. 1500 feet. Fired 700 rounds on trans- 
Time: 4:45 P. M. port and troops, at 57b. B. 17, in 
Height: 1 500-1000 feet, sunken road, at 5:00 p. m., from 1000 
Rounds fired : 700. feet. Other roads full of transport. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 



Lieut. W. W. Goodnow. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8352. 
Time: 4:40 P. M. 
Height 3000-2000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 350. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. M. C. Giesecke. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 3396. 
Time: 4:30-4:35 P. m. 
Height : 900 feet. 
Rounds fired: 500. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 



Four bombs dropped on transport be- 
tween Cambrai and Beauvois. Fired 
350 rounds at same time from 2000 feet. 
Explosion seen at Sucrerie, just south 
of Cattenieres, at 4:50 p. M. 

One bomb dropped on troops along 
side R.R., at 57b. B. 20. One bomb on 
Cambrai-Saulzoir road, on troops, from 
900 feet, at 4:35 P. m. Two bombs on 
Cambrai — St. Vaast road at 57b. B.6, on 
troops. Fired 200 rounds at horse 
transport going from Cambrai to 
Naves, from 500 feet. 300 more rounds 
on group of troops, at 57b.B.i8, from 
400 feet at 4:50 p. m. 
138 



BOMBING REPORTS 



Lieut. J. F. Campbell. No bombs dropped. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. with engine trouble. 



Returned early 



Lieut. J. A. Myers. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2007. 
Time: 4:30-5:00 p. m. 
Height: 2000 feet. 
Rounds fired : 200. 
Bombs dropped: nil. 

Lieut. C. W. France. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6024. 
Time: 4:35-5:05 P. m. 
Height: 1500-900 feet. 
Rounds fired: 350. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 



Lieut. H. P. Alderman. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 7281. 
Time: 4:40-5:00 P. M. 
Height: 150 feet. 
Rounds fired : 700. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. H. C. Knotts, 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5993. 
Time: 4:30 p. m. 
Height : 2000-50 feet. 
Rounds fired: 500. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 



Fired 200 rounds, from 2000 feet, at 
various fleeting targets — transport on 
Cambrai — Naves road, troops on rail- 
way between Cambrai and Caudry. 



Two bombs dropped on sunken road 
(57b. B. 17-18), from 1500 feet at 
4:35 P. M. Fired 100 rounds on same 
target. Fired 150 rounds at transport 
going east on Cambrai — Naves road, 
from 900 feet, at 5:00 p. m. Fired 100 
rounds at troops on crossroads of 
Cambrai — Valenciennes and Cambrai — 
Le Cateau roads. Two bombs on trans- 
port on Cambrai — Naves road. 

Four bombs dropped on 57b,B.i5a. 22. 
Fired 700 rounds on transport moving 
east of Cambrai — Saulzoir road, also on 
road from Villers-en-Cauchies to St. 
Aubert. Observed much confusion in 
these small detachments when they 
were fired upon. 

Four bombs dropped from 2000 feet 
on troops; followed them down firing 
100 rounds; saw many fall; went down 
to fifty feet. Fired 100 rounds on bat- 
tery and lorry with eight men, from 50 
feet, at 5ia.U.i3.c.55. Results not 
observed. 300 rounds fired on two 
vehicles, at 5ia.T.22.c. 05; driver ran 
ahead and fell at 5ia.T.i8.d; horses 
seen to fall also. Severe machine gun 
fire from 5ia.U.i3.d.o8. 

139 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 



Lieut. R. W. Snoke. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6138. 
Time: 4:35 P. m. 
Height: 2000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 150. 
Bombs dropped, 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. J. F. Donoho. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 3351. 
Time: 4:35 P. m. 
Height: 2000 feet. 
Rounds fired: 400. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 



Four bombs dropped on troops at 
57b. B. 27. Saw one burst among 
troops. Fired 150 rounds at horse 
transport on main road, at 57b. B. 27. 
Saw horses fall. 



Four bombs dropped at 5ia.T.20, 
from 2000 feet, at 4:35 P. m., on trans- 
port. Fired 400 rounds from 1000 
feet at transport along road, same 
place. Much confusion caused. 



30 



No. 2-09-0. 

Date: October 9, 191 8. 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines: 
Sopwith Camels: F. 2146, 
H. 7281, D. 3328, D. 3396, 
F. 6024, C. 8352, C. 3351, 
F. 621 1, F. 2007, F. 6249, 
F. 2164, H. 751, F. 6138. 



Lieut. F. M. Showalter. Four bombs dropped on R.R., north 
Sopwith Camel, F. 621 1, of Awoingt, from 2000 feet, at 6:40 
Time: 6:40 a. m. a. m. Bursts seen'at edge of railroad. 

Height: 2000 feet. 
Rounds fired : nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. J. F. Donoho. Four bombs dropped on 51a. U. 19. 

Sopwith Camel, C. 3351. No movement on roads. 

Time: 6:40 A. m. 

Height: 2000 feet. 

Rounds fired: nil. 

Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 

140 



BOMBING REPORTS 

Lieut. J. F. Campbell. Four bombs dropped on 5ia.U.i9. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. No movement on roads. 

Lieut, a C. Knotts. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 3328. 

Lieut. H. P. Alderman. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 7281. 

Lieut. C. W. France. Four bombs dropped on Cauroir, from 

Sopwith Camel, F. 6024. 5000 feet, at 6:40 a. m. 

Lieut. W. W. Goodnow. Four bombs dropped on Awoingt, from 

Sopwith Camel, C. 8352. 5000 feet, at 6:30 a. m. 

Time: 6:30 a. m. 

Height: 5000 feet. 

Rounds fired: nil. 

Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. J. A. Myers. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2007. 

Lieut. M. C. Giesecke. Two bombs dropped on Awoingt, from 
Sopwith Camel, D. 3396. 5000 feet, at 6:30 a. m. two bombs on 

Cauroir, from 3CXX), at 6:35 a. m. 

Lieut. F. A. Dixon. Four bombs dropped on Rieux, from 

Sopwith Camel, F. 6138. 5000 feet, at 6:30 a. m. 

Lieut. L. J. Desson. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 751. 

Lieut. H. Burdick. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2164, 

Lieut. G. A. Vaughn. Four bombs dropped on Cauroir, at 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6249. 6:30 A. M. 

141 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

31 

17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines: 
Sop with Camels, D. 9423, 
F. 2146, H. 7281,0.3351, 
D. 3396. 



No. 21-9-0. 

Date : October 9, 1918. 



Major H. L. Fowler. Four bombs dropped on Rieux R.R. 

Sopwith Camel, D. 9423. sidings, at 5ia.0.i9, at 1:20 p. m., from 



Time: 1:20 p. m. 
Height: 5000 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. J. F. Campbell. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. 

Lieut. H. P. Alderman. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 7281. 

Lieut. J. F. Donoho. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 3351. 



5000 feet. 



One bomb dropped on same target. 



Lieut. M. C. Giesecke. One bomb dropped on St. Hilaire. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 3396. Explosion seen at 1:35 p. m., near 

Avesnes-lez-Aubert. 

Total: 19-20 lb. bombs dropped. 



32 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines: 
Sopwith Camels, H. 828, 
H. 830, H. 757, F. 6138, 
F. 6249, C. 8352, C. 8337, 
C. 3351, F. 2006, F. 2007, 
F. 621 1, F. 2146, D. 3328, 
H. 7281, D. 3396. 



No 22-14-0. 

Date: October 14, 1918. 

Locahty: Bazuel. 



142 



BOMBING REPORTS 



Lieut. G. A. Vaughn. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 828. 
Time: 7:10 a. m. 
Height: 3000 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. H. Burdick. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 830. 

Lieut. L. J. Desson. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 751. 

Lieut. F. A. Dixon. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6138. 

Lieut. W. R. House. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6249. 

Lieut. W. W. Goodnow. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8352. 

Lieut. J. F. Campbell. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. 

Lieut. R. W. Snoke. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8337. 

Lieut. J. F. Donoho. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 3351. 

Lieut. H. C. Knotts. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 3328. 

Lieut. H. P. Alderman. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 7281. 

Lieut. F. M. Showalter. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6211. 

Lieut. M. C. Giesecke. 
Sopwith Camel, D. 3396. 

Total: 



Dropped four bombs at 7:10 a. m., on 
Bazuel, from 3000 feet. Bursts seen 
along the road. Very heavy machine 
gun fire and anti-aircraft fire from 
ground. Large machine gun nest in 
Bazuel. Visibility bad. Balloons 
seen at 51.S.19-25. 



Three bombs dropped on same target. 

51-20 lb. bombs dropped. 
143 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 



33 



17th Squadron, U.S.A. 
No. and type of machines: 
Sopwith Camels, F. 2146, 
D. 3328, H. 7281,0. 3396, 
F. 5993, C. 83^2, C. 8337, 
C. 3351, F. 2007, F. 6211, 
H. 828, H. 830, H. 751, 
F. 6138, F. 6249. 

Lieut. J. F. Campbell. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2146. 
Time: 1:40 p. m. 
Height: 2500 feet. 
Rounds fired : 500. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 



No. 23-14,-0. 

Date: October 14, 1918. 



Shot up transport on Verchain road, at 
5 1 a. Q. 2.0. 200 rounds fired into the 
villages of Monchaux and Querenaing. 



Lieut. H. C. Knotts. Not returned; was seen to land and 

Sopwith Camel, D. 3328. get out of his machine, at 51a. P. 28. 

Lieut. H. P. Alderman. Fired 150 rounds at transport near 
Sopwith Camel, H. 7281. Vendegies. 
Rounds fired: 150. 

Lieut. M. C. Giesecke. Four bombs dropped on troops in 
Sopwith Camel, D. 3396. sunken road at 51a. P. 29. Fired 100 
Time: 1:40 p. M. rounds at transport at 51a. P. 24. Big 

Rounds fired: 100. fire in Solesmes. 

Lieut. C. W. France. Four bombs dropped on transport, at 

Sopwith Camel, F. 5993. 51a. Q. 19. 200 rounds fired at same 
Rounds fired: 350. transport. 150 rounds at another target 

nearby. 

Lieut. W. W. Goodnow. Four bombs dropped on transport just 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8352. south of Vendegies. 200 rounds fired 
Time: 1:30 p. m. at same transport. Fired 200 rounds 

Height: 2500 feet. at pom-pom battery at Vendegies. 

Rounds fired : 400. 

144 



BOMBING REPORTS 



Lieut. J. A. Myers. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 2007. 
Rounds fired: 100. 

Lieut. R. W. Snoke. 
Sopwith Camel, C. 8337. 
Rounds fired: 100. 

Lieut. J. F. Donoho. 
Sopwith Camel, G. 3351. 

Lieut. F. M. Showalter. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 621 1. 
Rounds fired: 500. 

Lieut. G. A. Vaughn. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 828. 
Time: 2:10 p. m. 
Rounds fired: 300. 

Lieut. W. R. House. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6249. 
Rounds fired: 150. 

Lieut. L. J. Desson. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 751. 
Time: 2:10 p. m. 
Height: 2500 feet. 
Rounds fired: 100. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. F. A. Dixon. 
Sopwith Camel, F. 6138. 
Rounds fired: 750. 

Lieut. H. Burdick. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 830. 
Time: 1:40 P. m. 
Height: 1500 feet. 
Rounds fired : 750. 
Bombs dropped: 3-20 lb. 
Total: 55-20 lb 



100 rounds fired at transport, south of 
Vendegies. 

Four bombs dropped and 100 rounds 
fired on transport, at 5 1 a. Q. 19. 

Four bombs dropped on transport, at 
51a. Q. 20. 

Four bombs dropped and 500 rounds 
fired on transport on road leading 
through Villers-Pol. 

Four bombs dropped and 300 rounds 
fired on transport along road, just east 
of Verchain. 



Four bombs dropped and 100 rounds 
fired on transport along road near Ver- 
chain. 



Four bombs dropped and 750 rounds 
fired on transport, at 51a. Q. 19. 

Three bombs dropped and 150 rounds 
fired on transport just east of Verchain. 
Used remaining ammunition shooting 
down and firing at Fokker on ground, 
killing pilot. 

bombs dropped; 430x3 rounds fired. 
145 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

34 

17th Squadron, U.S.A. No. 24-24-0. 

No. and type of machines: Date: October 24, 191 8. 

Sopwith Camels, F. 5993, 

F. 6024, H. 7281. 

Lieut. W. T. Clements. Four bombs dropped on Landrecies- 
Sopwith Camel, F. 5993. Maroilles road, at 51.H.20. Visibility- 
Time: 2:05 p. M. poor. Heavy clouds. No movements 
Height: 300 feet. on roads through Mormal Forest. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. A. J. Schneider. " 

Sopwith Camel, F. 6024. 

Time: 2:05 p. m. 

Height: 300 feet. 

Rounds fired: nil. 

Bombs dropped: 4-20 lb. 

Lieut. H. P. Alderman. 
Sopwith Camel, H. 7281. 
Time: 2:05 P. m. 
Height: 300 feet. 
Rounds fired: nil. 
Bombs dropped : 4-20 lb. 

Total: 12-20 lb. bombs dropped. 



146 



CHAPTER VII 

STATISTICS 

Part I 

RECORD OF THE I7TH SQUADRON DURING ACTIVE OPERATIONS 
FOR THE PERIOD JULY 1 5 — OCTOBER 28, I918 

1. Number of enemy aircraft destroyed and con- 

firmed S3 

2. Number of enemy aircraft driven down out of 

control II 

3. Total number of enemy aircraft destroyed and 

driven down 64 

4. Number of days on which offensive patrols were 

sent over the lines 51 

5. Number of machines sent on offensive patrol . 936 

6. Number of hours flown on offensive patrol . . 1893 

7. Number of enemy aircraft destroyed or driven 

downoutof control for each flying day . . . 1. 25^ 

8. Number of days of low bombing raids and ma- 

chine gun attacks on enemy transport and in- 
fantry 16 

9. Number of low bombing raids and machine gun 

attacks sent out 36 

10. Number of hours flown on low bombing raids and 

attacks on enemy transport and infantry . . 462 

11. Number of bombs dropped 1164 

12. Total weight of bombs dropped (in pounds) . 23780 

1 3 . Number of machines sent over lines on low bomb- 

ing raids and attacks on enemy transport and 
infantry 314 

14. Number of rounds fired on enemy transport and 

infantry 31806 

147 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

15. Number of line patrols carried out .... 15 

16. Number of days on which line patrols were car- 

ried out 8 

17. Number of hours of line patrol 248 

18. Number of machines sent out on line patrol . 183 

19. Number of decorations (D.F.C.) awarded pilots 

by British 5 

20. Number of American decorations (D.S.C.) . . i 

21. Number of mentions in R.A.F. Communiques . 35 

22. Numberof days of active service 105 

23. Number of days of bad weather during active 

service 20 

24. Number of days of moving or refitting. ... 10 

25. Averagenumber of machines serviceable ... 16 



148 



Part II 

VICTORIES AND LOSSES TABULATED 

July^ igi8 

Enemy Aeroplanes destroyed: 
July 20 I 

Total I 

Losses: 

July 20 (Missing from offensive patrol) 1st Lieut. ... i 



Total 



I 



August, igi8 

Enemy Aeroplanes destroyed : 

August I I 

August 3 2 

August 7 3 

August 13 14* 

August 14 2 

August 21 I 

August 22 I 

August 25 I 

August 26 5 

Total 30 

Enemy Balloons destroyed: 

August 21 I 

August 22 I 

August 24 I 

Total 3 

*Eight confirmed by R.A.F. Communique No. 20, dated August 13. Fourteen con- 
firmed by prisoner of war, as stated in R.A.F. Summary of Intelligence, dated October 20. 

149 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

Enemy Aeroplanes driven down out of control: 

August I 

August 8 

August 9 

August 12 

August 21 

August 22 

August 26 



Total 



Losses: 
August 4 
August 12 
August 14 

August 23 

August 24 

August 26 



Total 



(Missing from offensive patrol) 1st Lieut. 
(Missing from offensive patrol) 1st Lieut. 
(Missing from offensive patrol) 1st Lieut. 
(Missing from offensive patrol) 2nd Lieut. 
(Wounded on low bombing patrol) ist Lieut. 
(Killed on low bombing patrol) ist Lieut. 

(Prisoner of war) 2nd Lieut. 

(Killed on low bombing patrol) ist Lieut. 
(Prisoners of war) . . . .1st Lieuts. 

(Prisoner of war) 2nd Lieut. 

(Missing from offensive patrol) ist Lieut. 
(Missing from offensive patrol) 2nd Lieuts. 



14 



September, IQ18. 

Enemy Aeroplanes destroyed: 

September 13 I 

September 17 i 

September 18 i 

September 22 4 

September 24 5 

September 28 3 



Total 



IS 



150 



STATISTICS 

Enemy Aeroplanes driven down out of control: 

September i8 I 

September 24 i 

September 27 I 

Total . 3 

Enemy Kite Balloons apparently destroyed but not confirmed: 
September 18 i 

Total I 

Losses : 

September 22 (Prisoner of war; afterwards escaped) 

1st Lieut I 

(Missing from offensive patrol) 2nd 
Lieut I 

Total 2 



OctohcTy IQ18. 

Enemy Aeroplanes destroyed : 

October 2 I 

October 14 2 

October 25 i 

Total . 4 



Losses : 
October 6 

October 14 
Total. . 



(Missing from bombing patrol) ist Lieut. i 
(Killed while on bombing patrol) ist Lieut. i 
(Prisoner of war) .... 2nd Lieut. i 



151 



HISTORY OF THE 17th SQUADRON 

Total aeroplanes destroyed and confirmed 50 

Total balloons destroyed and confirmed 3 

Total enemy aircraft destroyed and confirmed .... 53 

Total aeroplanes driven down out of control 10 

Total balloons apparently destroyed i 

Total enemy aircraft destroyed and out of control ... 64 

Total losses: 

Wounded I 

Prisoners of war 6 

Missing 10 

Killed 3 

Total 20 



152 



Part III 

RECORD OF THE I/TH SQUADRON, IN THE TECHNICAL UPKEEP 
AND REPAIR OF SOPWITH CAMEL AEROPLANES AND LE RHONE EN- 
GINES, DURING ACTIVE OPERATIONS 

Number of machines drawn from British . 66 

EstabHshment 19 

Consumption 47 

Average consumption per month . . . loii 

Lost over Hnes (40!%) 19 

Returned as time expired {6i%) .... 3 

Crashed or shot beyond repair (53!%) . . 25 

Spare engines received 28 

EstabHshment 9 

Consumption 19 

Average running time of engines overhauled 

in Squadron 34 hrs. 57I min. 

Longest run in Squadron before overhaul . 86 hrs. 15 min. 
Average number of spare engines kept ser- 
viceable 5.3 

Record for Timing and Maintenance of C. 

C. Gears: 
Average number of rounds fired without 

shooting propeller 27500 

Record of R.A.F. Brigades for September, 

1918 22800 



IS3 



APPENDIX 
Part I 

CASUALTIES AND CHANGES IN OFFICERS OF I7TH SQUADRON 
DURING OVERSEAS SERVICE 



October ii, 1917 

January 8, 1918 
June 4 

June 20 

June 21 



June 23 



OVERSEAS TRAINING 

1st Lieut. David T. Wells attached to Squad- 
ron as Supply Officer (Assigned, December 31, 
1917.) 

1st Lieut. James G. Bennett assigned as pilot. 
1st Lieut. Lorenz K. Ayers assigned as Arma- 
ment Officer. 

1st Lieut. Samuel B. Eckert assigned as 
Commanding Officer. 

Assigned: ist Lieut. Frederick M. Clapp as 
Adjutant. 

1st Lieut. Morton L. Newhall as Flight Com- 
mander. 

1st Lieut. Lloyd A. Hamilton as Flight Com- 
mander. 

1st Lieut. Weston W. Goodnow as Flight 
Commander. 

I St Lieuts. Rodney D. Williams, Merton L. 
Campbell, Henry B. Frost, and William D. 
Tipton as pilots. 

1st Lieut. Henry McC. Bangs relieved from 
duty as Adjutant. 

1st Lieuts. Murray K. Spidle, Laurence Rob- 
erts, Floyd M. Showalter, George P. Glenn, 
Harriss P. Alderman, Lyman E. Case, and 
2nd Lieut. Robert M. Todd assigned as pilots. 

155 



APPENDIX 

June 26 1st Lieuts. Ralph D. Gracie, Bradley C. Law- 

ton, Ralph W. Snoke, Frank A. Dixon, Wil- 
liam J. Armstrong, and Leonard J. Desson 
assigned as pilots. 

July I 1st Lieut. Theose E. Tillinghast and 2nd Lieut. 

William H. Shearman assigned as pilots. 
1st Lieut. Morton L. Newhall relieved from 
duty and assigned as Commanding Officer 
to 148th Aero Squadron. 

July 6 1st Lieut. Jacob J. Ross attached as Medical 

Officer. 

ACTIVE OPERATIONS 

July 20 1st Lieut. George P. Glenn "missing" from 

patrol escorting 211 Squadron, R.A.F., over 
lines. Dropped from rolls, July 28. 

July 21 1st Lieut. Albert J. Schneider and 2nd Lieut. 

George T. Wise assigned as pilots. 

July 26 1st Lieut. Bradley C. Lawton to No. 13 Gen- 

eral Hospital, as result of fall in machiqe at 
Adinkerque on July 11. Dropped from rolls 
July 28. 

July 27 1st Lieut. Laurence Roberts admitted sick 

to No. 40 General Hospital, B.E.F., Calais. 
Dropped from rolls, July 29. 

July 30 1st Lieut. Leonard J. Desson admitted sick to 

Queen Alexandra Hospital. 

August I 1st Lieuts. Glenn D. Wicks and Jesse F. 

Campbell assigned as pilots. 

August 4 1st Lieut. Murray K. Spidle "missing" from 

O.P. Dropped from rolls, August 5. 
1st Lieut. Leonard J. Desson returned to 
squadron from hospital. 

August 12 1st Lieut. William J. Armstrong admitted to 

Queen Alexandra Hospital, wounded in com- 
bat. Dropped from rolls, August 14. 
156 



II < 



APPENDIX 



August 12 



August 13 
August 14 



August 14 
August 15 
August 16 

August 17 

August 23 



August 24 



2nd Lieut. Harry H. Jackson assigned as pilot. 
1st Lieut. Ralph D. Gracie "missing" from 
O.P. Dropped from rolls, August 13. 
1st Lieut. Ralph W. Snoke admitted to Queen 
Alexandra Hospital as result of injuries re- 
ceived in landing on aerodrome. 
1st Lieut. Harriss P. Alderman admitted to 
Queen Alexandra Hospital, wounded in combat. 
1st Lieut. Lyman E. Case "missing"; last 
seen falling from 14000 feet after collision 
with Fokker shot down by Lieut. Wicks. 
Dropped from rolls, August 16. 
2nd Lieut. WiUiam H. Shearman "missing" 
from O.P. Dropped from rolls, August 16. 
1st Lieut. Harriss P. Alderman to duty from 
hospital. 

1st Lieut. Albert F. Everett assigned as pilot. 
2nd Lieut. John F. Donoho assigned as pilot. 
2nd Lieuts. Howard P. Bittinger, Howard 
Burdick, and Howard C. Knotts assigned as 
pilots. 

1st Lieut. Ralph W. Snoke to duty from hospi- 
tal. 

1st Lieut. Merton L. Campbell "missing" 
from low bombing show. Dropped from 
rolls, August 29. 

1st Lieut. Laurence Roberts reassigned as pilot. 
1st Lieut. Rodney D. Williams wounded on 
low bombing show. 

Landed at 3 Squadron, R.A.F., and sent to 
CCS. at Gezaincourt. Dropped from rolls, 
August 27. 

1st Lieut. Lloyd A. Hamilton "missing" from 
low bombing show. 

Last seen spinning to earth after shooting 
down enemy balloon, east of Bapaume. 
Dropped from rolls, August 27. 

157 



APPENDIX 

August 24 2nd Lieut. George T. Wise "missing" from 

low bombing show over lines. Dropped from 
rolls, August 27. 

August 26 1st Lieuts. William D. Tipton, Henry B. 

Frost, 2nd Lieuts. Robert M. Todd, Harry H. 
Jackson, Jr., Howard P. Bittinger, and ist 
Lieut. Laurence Roberts "missing" from O.P. 
Dropped from rolls, Aug. 29. 

August 28 1st Lieut. James G. Bennett to detached ser- 

vice, England, for further training in flying. 

August 29 1st Lieuts. George A. Vaughn, Jr., WiUiam T. 

Clements, Thomas L. Moore, Charles W. 
France, and Harold G. Shoemaker assigned 
as pilots. 

August 30 2nd Lieuts. Gerald P. Thomas and John A. 

Myers assigned as pilots. ^ 

August 31 1st Lieut. Harriss P. Alderman admitted to 

hospital for wounds to heal completely. 

2nd Lieut. James A. Ellison assigned as pilot. 
Sept. 2 1st Lieut. Albert F. Everett admitted sick 

to 21 CCS. Hospital. Dropped from rolls 

Sept. 4. 
Sept. 3 1st Lieut. Martin C Giesecke assigned as 

pilot. 
Sept. 5 1st Lieut. Thomas L. Moore transferred to 

148th Aero Squadron. 
Sept. II 2nd Lieut. Irving P. Corse assigned as pilot. 

Sept. 13 2nd Lieut. Irving P. Corse admitted sick to 

No. 18 General Hospital. 

1st Lieut. Joseph L. Mulcahy attached to 

Squadron for 10 days duty as Dental Officer. 

1st Lieut. Jacob J. Ross, M.C, to special duty 

at No. 14 General Hospital. 
Sept. 17 1st Lieut. WiUiam H. Spindle and 2nd Lieut. 

Edgar G. White assigned as pilots. 
158 



APPENDIX 

Sept. 22 1st Lieut. Jiacob J. Ross, M.C., to duty from 

special duty. 

ist Lieut. Theose E. Tillinghast and 2nd Lieut. 

Gerald P. Thomas "missing" from O.P. 

Dropped from rolls Sept. 24. 
Sept. 24 1st Lieut. William H. Spindle admitted sick to 

No. 14 General Hospital. Dropped from rolls 

Sept. 26. 
Sept. 26 2nd Lieut. Howard C. Knotts admitted sick 

to 18 General Hospital. 
Sept. 27 1st Lieut. Harriss P. Alderman to duty from 

hospital. 
Oct. 2 1st Lieut. Joseph L. Mulcahy, dentist, to H 

Corps. 
Oct. 5 2nd Lieut. Howard C. Knotts to duty from 

hospital. 

2nd Lieut. William R. House assigned as pilot. 
Oct. 6 1st Lieuts. Harold G. Shoemaker and Glenn 

D. Wicks "missing" from O.P. and bombing 

patrol. Dropped from rolls Oct. 7. 
Oct. 8 2nd Lieut. Edgar G. White admitted to 21 

CCS. Hospital, wounded on O.P. Dropped 

from rolls Oct. 10. 

1st Lieut. Albert F. Everett reassigned as pilot. 

2nd Lieut. Howard C Knotts "missing" from 

offensive and bombing patrol. Dropped from 

rolls Oct. 18. 

1st Lieut. George A. Vaughn, Jr., admitted 

sick to hospital. 

2nd Lieut. James A. Ellison admitted sick to 

hospital. ' Dropped from rolls Oct. 23. 

1st Lieuts. Cuthbert Tunstall and Ernest S. 

Mason and 2nd Lieuts. Edward S. Lubbers 

and William F. Schadt assigned as pilots. 
Oct. 24 1st Lieut. George A. Vaughn, Jr., from hospi- 

tal to duty. 

159 



Oct. 


13 


Oct. 


15 


Oct. 


16 


Oct. 


21 


Oct. 


22 



APPENDIX 

Oct. 26 1st Lieut. William J. Armstrong reassigned as 

pilot. 
Oct. 28 1st Lieut. Albert J. Schneider admitted sick to 

20 General Hospital. 
Nov. I Squadron assigned to 4th Pursuit Group, II 

Army, American E.F. 



160 



Part II 



ROSTER OF ENLISTED MEN WHO HAVE BEEN MEMBERS OF I7TH 
SQUADRON SINCE ITS ARRIVAL OVERSEAS^ 



Alexander, 198 15, Jasper 
Allen, 19834, Roy J. 
Anthony, 19827, Earl H. 
Apel, 19739, Virden J. 
Aten, 19790, Merritt C. 
Atwood, 19733, Leon 
Bailey, 19728, Paul 
Baker, 19827, Maurice 
Bardot, 19740, Harry E. 
Barr, 19773, Robert J. 
Bauer, 19683, Edward C. 
Beaudet, 19843, Alfred L. 
Beebe, 19835, Albert J. 
Beebe, 19840, Claude R. 
Beers, 19876, Lloyd S. 
Berntsen, 19844, Carl 
Bigelow, 1116855, Erwin D. 



Blunt, 19797, Milton A. 
Boomer, 19727, Charles E. 
Booth, 19701, Claud L. 
Booth, 1 9741, Clifton W. 
Bower, 19695, Bishop F. 
Bowman, 1079338, Augus- 
tine C. 



I St CI. 
1st CI. 
1st CI. 
1st CI. 
1st CI. 



Cpl. 

Pvt. 

Pvt. 

Pvt. 

Pvt. 

Pvt. 

Cpl. 

Pvt. 

Pvt 1st CI. 

Sgt. 1st CI. 

Sgt. 1st CI. 

Pvt. 

Pvt. 1st CI 

Cpl. 

Pvt. 

Pvt. 1st CI 

Pvt. 



Cpl. 
Cpl. 
Pvt. 
Pvt. 
Pvt. 

Pvt. 



Transferred to 
squadron from II 
Corps Replacement 
Battalion, October 6, 
1918. 



*A11 enlisted men came Overseas originally with the 
designated. 

161 



Transferred to 
squadron from II 
Corps Replacement 
Battalion, October 6, 
1918. 

17th Squadron unless otherwise 



APPENDIX 

Brooks, 19827, Bernard R. Chauf. 

Brown, 19836, Benjamin A. Cpl. 

Brown, 19686, Ned C. Pvt. ist CI. 

Brown, 19742, Ney S. Chauf. 

Buchanan, 19690, Robert B. Cpl. 

Buck, 19845, Selby H. Pvt. 

Bunyan, 19737, John A. Pvt. ist CI. 

Burns, 19691, Forrest L. Chauf. 

Cale, 37474, Jesse C. Pvt. 



Transferred to 
squadron from II 
Corps Replacement 
Battalion, October 6, 
1918. 



Casement, 37325, Will B. Pvt. 



Transferred to 
squadron from II 
Corps Replacement 
Battalion, October 6, 
1918. 



Chapman, 19743, Garrett B. Pvt. 

Cobb, 19744, John L. Pvt. 

Conklin, 19745, Orrin Pvt. ist CI. 

Cooper, 19746, Loran J. Pvt. 



Cotner, 19750, Earl R. 


Pvt. 


Transferred 
from squadron to 
Reclassification Bar- 
racks, October 24, 
1918. 


Covan, 19702, James H. 


Pvt. 




Cox, 1058760, Daniel J. 


Pvt. 


Transferred to 



squadron from II 
Corps Replacement 
Battalion, October 
6, 1918. 



162 



APPENDIX 
Cox, 19698, Reginald N. Pvt. 1st CI. 



Cox, 19846, Tom W. 



Pvt. 



Curtiss, 1973 s, Herbert F. Sgt. 



Davis, 19847, Sherman D. Pvt. 

Day, 19848, Harry Pvt. 1st CI. 

De Angelis, 388791, Andrew Pvt. 



Decker, 19747, George Pvt. 

Derrevere, 402473, Ed- 
ward A. Pvt. 



Devol, 19740, Lloyd E. 
Digman, 19729, Jesse A. 
D'Olic, 19749, Edward 



Pvt. 
Cpl. 
Pvt. 



Admitted to No. 45 
Base Hospital, Toul, 
November 14, 1918. 
Dropped from rolls, 
November 23, 191 8. 

Admitted to No. 21 
CCS. Hospital, B. 
E.F., October 11, 
1 91 8. Dropped from 
rolls, November 8, 
1918. 

On detached service 
at 3rd Instruction 
Center for training 
as pilot. 



Trans ferred to 
squadron from II 
Corps Replacement 
Battalion, October 
6, 1918. 

Trans ferred to 
squadron from II 
Corps Replacement 
Battalion, October 
6, 1918. 



Admitted to No. 9 
General Hospital, 
B.E.F., May 1,1918. 
Dropped from rolls, 
Sept. 24, 1918. 



163 



APPENDIX 
DolofF, 1158058, Rudie D. Pvt. 



Doty, 19849, Donald F. 


Pvt. 




Douglass, 19775, Cecil N. 


Sgt. 1st 


CI. 


Douglass, 19773, Jot'ri B. 


M.S.E. 




Ellerkamp, 19798, Harry M. 


Cpl. 




Ellis, 19703, William A. 


Pvt. 1st 


CI 


Erdman, 19828, George B. E. 


Sgt. 




Falkenstein, 19825, Howard 






W. 


Sgt. 




Feigh, 19787, Glenn H 


Sgt. 




Fellay, 19687, Dean R. 


Sgt. 




Fellay, 19689, George R. 


Sgt. 1st 


CI. 


Ferris, 19850, Huber C. 


Cook 




Fisher, 19800, Ben E. 


Pvt. 1st 


CI 


Fleahman, 19778, William R. 


Cpl. 




Floistad, 1975 1, Charles 


Pvt. 





Foster, 19821, Roy B. 



Sgt. 1st CI. 



Frater, 19801, John K. 
Gable, 19752, William J. 



Cook 
Chauf. 



Trans ferred to 
squadron from H 
Corps Replacement 
Battalion, October 
6, 1918. 



Admitted to No. 55 
C.C.S., B.E.F., May 
25, 1918. Dropped 
froVn rolls, Sept. 23, 
1918. 

Admitted to No. 55 
U.S. General Hos- 
pital, November 21, 
191 8. Dropped from 
rolls, November 23, 
1918. 

Admitted to No. 87 
General Hospital, 
November 18, 1918. 
Dropped from rolls, 
November 23, 1918. 



164 



APPENDIX 



Galloway, 1973 1, Edward E. Sgt. 



Gardner, 19693, EarlW. 
Garrett, 19779, Robert H. 
Gillman, 19851, Elmer H. 
Gipner, 19725, Lomas 
Gnagy, 19852, John G. 
Gosney, 19799, Howard M. 
Green, 881054, Dallas W. 



Cpl. 

Chauf. 

Pvt. 

Sgt. 1st CI. 

Chauf. 1st CI. 

Pvt. 1st CI. 

Private 



Guhm, 19780, Louis R. 



Cpl. 



Haley, 19853, Ralph E. Pvt. 

Hardin, 2693209, Clarence 
W. Pvt. 



Hathaway, 19594, Glenn S. Sgt. 



Heim, 19803, Anthony J. Pvt. ist. CL. 
Herbsleb, 19753, George R. Cpl. 
Hill, 19704, Reginald E. Pvt. 

Hively, 19736, Eldon E. Sgt. ist CI. 

Hively, 19730, Roy H. Sgt. ist CI. 

Hollinger, 1052146, Harry E. Pvt. 



Trans ferred to 
squadron from H 
Corps Replacement 
Battalion, October 
6, 1918. 

Admitted to No. 6 
Field Ambulance, 
St. Jean Hospital, 
October 29, 191 8. 
Dropped from rolls, 
November 8, 1918. 

Transferred to 
squadron from H 
Corps Replacement 
Battalion, October 
6, 1918. 

On detached service 
to 3rd Instruction 
Center training as 
pilot. 



Transferred to 
squadron from II 
Corps Replacement 
Battalion, October 
6, 1918. 



165 



APPENDIX 
Hollis, 19795, Everett R. Pvt. 1st CI. 



Holmes, 19822, Walter W. Sgt. 1st CI. 
Holton, 19803, Judson N. Pvt. 



Horst, 19754, Frank H. Pvt. 1st CI. 

Huntington, 19781, Lester H. Cpl. 

Irwin, 19854, Max A. 

Jensen, 19837, Edwin R. 

Johns, 19726, Leland H. 

Johnson, 19685, Alvin M. 

Johnson, 19755, Archie 



Johnson, 1 9760, Edwin L. 
Johnston, 19804, Adam B. 
Johnston, 19782, Logan T. 

JopHn, Edward R. 

Karl, 19805, Frank J. 
Kellum, 19833, Hayden C. 
Kenney, 19788, John J. 
King, 19756, Clark H. 
Knous, 19806, Alfred L. 
Kolb, 19705, John K. 
Koop, 19699, Lamonte P. 
Lastovica, 19757, Frank R. 
Latour, 19757, Oliver P. 



Admitted to No. 30 
General Hospital, 
July 28, 1918. 
Dropped from rolls 
September 13, 1918. 

Admitted to 3rd 
Australian Hospital, 
March 2, 1918. 
Dropped from rolls, 
September 23, 1918. 



Pvt. 1st CI. 




Pvt. 1st CI. 




Cpl. 




Mess Sgt. 




Pvt. 


Transferred from 




squadron to Reclas- 




sification Barracks, 




October 24, 191 8. 


Pvt. 




Chauf. 




Sgt. 




Pvt. 1st CI. 




Pvt. 1st CI. 




Sgt. 1st CI. 




Pvt. 1st CI. 




Pvt. 




Cpl. 




Pvt. I St CI. 




Cpl. 




Pvt. 1st CI. 




Pvt. 


Transferred to 




Reel a ssif ication 




Barracks, October 




24, 1918. 



166 



APPENDIX 



Laughery, 19789, William A. 
Loughlin, 19907, Edward J. 
Leary, 19758, Carroll E. 
Lehr, 19688, Louis A. 
Lemons, 19759, Lonnie 
Leonard, 19732, Lial W. 
Leppin, 19808, Norman 
Ley, 19855, Arthur M. 
Long, 19809, Wallace B. 
Love, 1 976 1, Virgil L. 
Malloy, 19762, Louis A. 



Martel, 19763, Clarence A. 
Masters, 198 10, William H. 
McBride, 19764, Ralph C. 
McCarthy, 19800, Neal L 
McPherson,i98i i,WilliamF. 
Meek, Jr., 19856, James W. 
Miller, 1 98 1 2, Arthur F. 
Miller, 19776, Beryl O. 
Miller, 19784, Hayes R. 
Miller, 1983 1, Henry T. 
Miller, 19696, Virgil L. 
Minehart, 19757, Arthur L. 
Mitchell, 19689, David S. 
Morin, 19707, Fred P. 
Mueller, 19858, Louis E. 
Nelson, 19826, Harold W. 
O'Keefe, 19708, John J. 
Oldfield, 19709, Clyde S. 



Cpl. 

Pvt. 

Pvt. 

Chauf. 1st CI. 

Pvt. 

Pvt. 1st CI. 

Chauf. 

Pvt. 

Pvt. 

Pvt. 

Pvt. 



Pvt. 

Pvt. 

Pvt. 

Pvt. 1st CI. 

Chauf. 

Pvt. 1st CI. 

Pvt. 

Sgt. 

Sgt. 1st CI. 

Pvt. 

Pvt. 

Cpl. 

Sgt. 1st CI. 

Pvt. 

Pvt. 

Sgt. 

Pvt. 

Pvt. 1st CI. 



Admitted to No. 21 
C.C.S., August 26, 
1918. Dropped from 
rolls, October 24, 
1918. 



Admitted to No. 6 
Field Ambulance 
St. Jean Hospital, 
October 29, 1918. 
Dropped from rolls, 
November 8, 1918. 



167 



APPENDIX 



Oyster, 19859, Byron M. Chauf. 

Parker, 19710, Edward L. Pvt. 

Passerine, 3521 1, Emil E. Pvt. 1st CI. 

Pease, 252360, Tod H. Sgt. ist CI. 



Pendleton, 19765, Philip W. Pvt. 



Pickett, 19711, Sidney G. Pvt. 



Pollucci, 1062034, Nicholas J. Pvt. 



Portugal, 19838, Harold W. Cpl. 



Price, 19712, Sidney E. Pvt. ist CI. 

Race, 369774, Homer H. Pvt. 



Rader, 35212, George A. Pvt. 



168 



Transferred to 
squadron from 183rd 
Flight Detachment. 
September 15, 1918. 
Admitted to No 21 
CCS. Hospital, B. 
E.F., August 19, 
191 8. Dropped from 
rolls, November 8, 
1918. 

Transferred to 
Reel assification 
Barracks, October 
24, 1918. 

Transferred to 
squadron from H 
Corps Replacement 
Battalion, October 
6, 1918. 

Admitted to hospi- 
tal, August 5, 1918. 
Dropped from rolls, 
September 24, 1918. 

Transferred to 
squadron from H 
Corps Replacement 
Battalion, October 
6, 1918. 

Admitted to hospi- 
tal August 18, 1918. 
Dropped from rolls, 
September 24, 1918. 



APPENDIX 



Randolph, 34213, Frank B. 
Ransdell, 19791, Clarence T. 
Ratzsch, 1979s, Emerson R. 

Reed, William H. 

Reid, 1061152, William 



Reilly, 19763, James F. 
Richman, 198 15, Willie 
Rigby, 1067610, Edward 



Cpl. 

Pvt. 1st CI. 

Pvt. 1st CI. 

Cpl. 

Pvt. 



Pvt. 
Pvt. 

Sgt. 



Rose, 19767, Barton H. 


Pvt. 




Rose, 19814, Halla E. 


Pvt. 


1st CI 


Ross, 19785, Jess 


Pvt. 


1st CI 


Routt, 1 97 1 4, Walter 


Pvt. 




Sanford, 19733, Jay F. 


Sgt. 




Seney, 19778, Leroy W. 


Pvt. 




Slevin, 19714, James J. 


Cpl. 




Sloan, 19777, De Villo 


Sgt. 


1st CI. 


Slover, 19839, George W. 


Pvt. 


1st CI 



Smith, 19820, Cameron A. 
Smith, 19715, John G. 
Speth, 19832, Roy H. 



Sgt. 1st CI. 
Pvt. 1st CI. 
Pvt. 



169 



Transferred to 
squadron from II 
Corps Replacement, 
Battalion, October 
6, 1918. 



Transferred to 
squadron from II 
Corps Replacement 
Battalion, October 
6, 1918. 



Admitted to No. 22 
CCS. Hospital, B. 
E.F., October 8, 
191 8. Dropped from 
rolls, October 24, 
1918. 



A.W.O.L., Novem- 
ber3, 1918. Dropped 
from rolls, Novem- 
ber 23, 1918. 



APPENDIX 



Spurling, 198 16, Ernest E. 
Stephens, 197 17, Harry B. 



Stickney, 19816, Brune T. 
Stover, 1062266, Homer B. 



Strain, 19841, Fred 



Strickland, 19786, Nelson J. 
Tanant, 2070092, James 



Tero, 19718, David H. 
Thole, 35214, John G. 
Thompson, 19793, Blair M. 
Thuman, 34215, George J. 
Thurman, 19860, Earl G. 
Toms, 19769, Cedric D. 
Traxler, 19770, Harry D. 
Trezise, 198 18, Roy W. 
Tyrrell, 19728, Hubert J. 
Urquhart, 197 19, Davis L. 
Van Housen, 19734, Ches- 
ter E. 
Wallace, 19774, Clyde B. 



Pvt. 
Cpl. 



Pvt. 
Pvt. 



Pvt. 1st CI. 



Chauf. 
Pvt. 



Pvt. 1st CI. 

Cpl. 

Pvt. 1st CI. 

Pvt. 

Pvt. 

Pvt. 

Pvt. 1st CI. 

Chauf. 1st CI. 

Pvt. 1st CI. 

Chauf. 

Cook 
Pvt. 



170 



Admitted to No. 21 
CCS. Hospital, Oc- 
tober II, 1918. 
Dropped from rolls, 
November 8, 1918. 

Transferred to 
squadron from H 
Corps Replacement 
Battalion, October 
6, 1918. 

Admitted to U.S. 
Base Hospital, 
Portsmouth, June 
14, 1918. Dropped 
from rolls, Septem- 
ber 24, 1918. 

Transferred to 
squadron from H 
Corps Replacement 
Battalion, October 
6, 1918. 



Transferred to 
Reclassification 
Barracks, October 
30, 1918. 



APPENDIX 



Waterland, 
tav A. 



1058994, Gus- 



Pvt. 



Wellborn, 19824, Clay A. Sgt. 1st CI. 



Wessels, 19720, Clarence Cpl. 
Whiteaker, 19792, William C. Pvt. istCl. 
Wilcavage, 1972 1, John Chauf. 1st CI, 

Wiley, 35216, Samuel C. Pvt. 1st CI. 

Willms, 19887, Clarence L. Cook 
Wilson, 19771, Herbert D. Pvt. 



Wilson, 19830, Walter McC. Chauf. 1st CI. 
Winchester, 19722, Harry M. Chauf. 
Wood, 19833, Lawrence C. Cpl. 
Wray, 19723, Harold O. Cpl. 

Wright, 288485, Gail H. Sgt. 



Young, 19819, Harold E. Cpl. 
Zoubeck, 19784, Frank J. Sgt. 

Attached (Medical Corps) 

Haig, 640354, Alfred V. Pvt. ist CI. 

Hartin, 643169, James Pvt. ist CI. 

Homewood, 7 128 17, Ar- 
thur R. Sgt. 
Schultz, 640386, Gardner S. Pvt. ist CI. 
Statler, 640477, Donald P. Pvt. ist CI. 

171 



Trans ferred to 
squadron from H 
Corps Replacement 
Battalion, October 
6, 1918. 

Admitted to No. 45 
Base Hospital, Toul, 
November 19, 1918. 
Dropped from rolls, 
November 23, 1918. 



Trans ferred to 
Reclassification 
Barracks, October 
30, 1918. 



Trans ferred to 
squadron from 
142nd Aero Squad- 
ron, July 4, 191 8. 



Attached 
ron, July 


to 
4, 


Squad 

1918. 
it 


it 




ti 


(t 




it 


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hiIh,^.'?,^/ °'' CONGRESS 



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